Copyright: BGAMUG Newsletter, ® 1994 - Sean Stallings


MAIN
                                            Click anywhere to continue


April 94 Newsletter

B G A M U G
NEWSLETTER
Bowling Green Area
MS-DOS User Group

Member of APCUG
Association of PC User Groups
David Oliver - President
Charles Phillips - Vice President
Jessica Ryan - Secretary
Ramona Bobbitt - Treasure
Michael L. Moore - BBS SysOp
Mike Walton - Librarian
Jerry Gillette  -  Editor

Volume IV No. 4             April 1994

Presidents Column
by David Oliver

At our last meeting we had a sign up sheet for a
WordPerfect 6.0 for Windows class.  At the time I
mentioned that my schedule was pretty full right now
and it would be after April 15th before I could start the
class.  Well I was right.  It looks now like it will be after
May 1st  before I can start it.  I think  that may be for the
best though, because I only had eight people to sign up
for it.  This will give those people who did not make the
March meeting time to sign up for the class this month.
If you want to take the class,  be at this month's meeting
and I will announce the days and times.  The only thing
that I can tell you now is that it will be at Warren Central.

For those of you who didn't know, there was a computer
show in Lexington this month and I heard some good
reports from the officers and members who attended.
The show itself was a little smaller than it was last year
but the quality of the exhibitors was still high. I'm sure
that we will have a report at this month's meeting.
Speaking of computer shows,  Comdex is coming up
and BGAMUG is trying to get some free passes for those
members who would like to attend the show.  If you are
planning to attend but don't yet have tickets, I would
suggest that you go ahead and make your hotel
reservations. The hotels in Atlanta are filling up fast.
You can always cancel if you change your mind and don't
go;  but without a room you can't go.

In other club news, the IRS has returned our packet
again.  Most of the questions they have we've already
answered , but when they got our paperwork mixed up
with someone else's, they must have lost some of our
papers.  At any rate I finally got the non-profit filing
packet from APCUG.  I will look through this and maybe
this time when we file, it will stay filed.

The annual picnic has been set for June 18th. at Lampkin
Park.  Look for Eugene's article for details. We will need
volunteers for this event so if you're interested,  give
Eugene or one of the other officers a call.

Well brainlock is setting in, so I guess I'll end this
rambling.  I hope to see all of you at the meeting on the
26th.  Happy Computing.

Sysop's Report   April 1994
by  Michael Moore

As we voted last meeting, I ordered and installed four
megabytes of memory in the club's computer, bringing our
total to eight. This will allow the operation of up to two more
nodes on the BBS, for a maximum of four lines coming into the
system.

I've received and tested our 4COM multi-port serial card and
it appears to be functioning properly.  This will give us four
high-speed ports with which to connect our Zoom v.fast
modems.  The modems are still on order and hopefully by
meeting time I'll have a ship date for you.

There's a new list of newsgroups up on the BBS called
NEWSGRPS.ZIP, and it includes a good number of 'groups that
weren't on the original list.  If nothing else, the newsgroup
descriptions are hilarious.

This month's presentation is on RIP graphics - the coming
attraction in graphical BBS interfaces.  Our hope is that RIP will
be what Microsoft Windows was to DOS command-line haters,
that is, a mouseable, supremely useful interface.  It's also much
more flexible than the old ANSI menus, although you can still
use those if you like.

There are still a number of local newsgroups available for
hosting. As the host, or "conference sysop" of a group, you
would monitor posts and also write articles in your conference
that would stimulate postings by others.

I'd also like to increase the outgoing Usenet traffic - to my
knowledge only Ramona Bobbitt and Mike Walton have
actually posted to a newsgroup.  To increase the traffic and
interest in Usenet, I'm going to post details of a contest I call
the "Usenet Scavenger Hunt," which will be a list of clues to
find details in certain Usenet conferences, leading to a final
"target" article.  The prize will be announced on the BBS.  Look
for this contest in May.

By meeting time I will have swapped out the defective
Quantum 240mb drive and hopefully will have given Doug
Skinner some time to look at it and then we'll make a
recommendation.

The BBS is carrying over 6,000 Usenet articles and currently
averages over 600 calls per week.  The third line is connected
to a separate BBS to monitor "overflow" from BGAMUG, and it
is logging about 40 calls a day.  (As you might expect, during
the 6:00p to 10:00p crunch).  The BBS is still extremely lightly
used during the morning hours.  There is about 70 megabytes
free, but if we get the Quantum drive fixed, I'll double-space it
and then we'll have over 250mb free.
I held a seminar April 14th on the TomCat mail door and its
related utility, OLX - the Offline Express mail reader.  Two
individuals were able to attend, but many more expressed
interest so there will be another class sometime in May.
There has also been some interest in a seminar about the use
of the WildCat! BBS from a beginner's point of view.  Please let
me know if you would be interested in something like this.
Along these lines, I have a source for low-cost external and
internal modems.  The external 1200baud can be had for as
little as $9.95 plus shipping; the 2400baud (recommended) are
just $19.95.

These are new units with power supplies, but you need to buy
your own cable.

I would like to congratulate Doug Skinner on the acceptance
of his Visual Basic Programming SIG (special interest group)
by the executive board.  This should pave the way for the
successful formation of other SIGs in the club.  Betty Lyne has
suggested a New User's SIG, and I support this effort 100%.
Jon Morrell, Sean Stallings and I have been talking about the
idea of a public-access internet server here in BG. Anyone
interested in this venture, please post under conference #14.

Finally, my March 3rd letter to Western Kentucky University
has gone unanswered.  My next step is to gain support from
one or more of the University regents living here in town.  Our
request to WKU is very simple: we'd like the use of a single
VAX account, once per day, to FTP our mail bundles from
holonet, effectively reducing our phone bill by about 90% and
at the same time allowing us to offer as many newsgroups as
our hard drive space would allow.  At this point, even a "no"
answer would make me happy, because then I could begin
exploring other avenues, such as a downlink or through TKR
cablevision.

WHAT MEMBERS ARE THINKING

As BGAMUG looks toward the future I believe it is time to
change the name of the organization. In today's world there
are more than one operating systems. The clubs name,
Bowling Green Area MS-DOS User's Group, is becoming
outdated. Theoretically, the club should exclude OS/2 users,
Windows NT users, and, when the next version of Windows is
released, Windows users. To keep up with changing times, I
believe that the club should have a name change. Perhaps,
Bowling Green Area PC Users Group (BGAPUG) is a good
name.

Jeff Carlyle

I would like to take a few minutes and say that I am proud to
be a new user of the BGAMUG bbs.  I am a new comer to this
town and I am really proud to have my machine to hook up to a
new bbs that I have never used.  I am also proud that I have
finally found some one that is on the Internet.  I would like to
learn how to use the internet and especially talk with my
friends in Tennessee.  The BGAMUG BBS is on the Super
Information Highway.

Seth Luther

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE for
COMDEX SPRING / WINDOWS
WORLD ATLANTA MAY 23 - 26, 1994

BGAMUG Members may receive complimentary
registration forms for Comdex/Spring and Windows
World '94 exhibits to be held in the World Congress
Center in Atlanta. The forms ($75 value) will be for
advance or on-site registration.  A separate registration
form is required for each person.

To obtain the forms you must:

#1  Be a Full member of BGAMUG
#2  Be absolutely sure you will use it and attend
#3  Be at the April meeting and, or, contact a BGAMUG
officer ASAP as a limited number are available.

Q & A
Q   I have some friends that are not members.  Can I
get tickets for them ?
A   Maybe, Full members will have top priority, BBS
Members second, and Non-members last.

Q   How many tickets will you have ?
A   We have 20, maybe a few more on the way.

Q Should I pre-register or do it on site ?
A  To avoid waiting in several long lines, you need to
pre-register

Q   What kind of attire should I take.
A   Casual,   comfortable shoes are a must.

Q   Are there any good deals / prices of computer stuff
at Comdex ?
A   Comdex is primarily a place where vendors
introduce NEW things.  It is not billed as a sales event,
however, most all booths will offer a SHOW SPECIAL
deal on selected items, and they most often offer great
savings. You will not find any old items, only the latest
versions, models and countless things you've never
heard of.

Q   Is it easy to get a place to stay and how much are
the rooms ?

A   Atlanta is the Capital of the South.  It has so many
things going on, accommodations are a problem at
times, mostly downtown.  I would highly recommend you
make reservations ASAP.  Rooms can range from $50 -
150, depending on quality and location.   It is not
uncommon for attendees of Comdex to stay as far as 20
- 30 miles away from downtown.
** Eugene Craft has a Atlanta yellow page phone book.
See or call him 777-1045 (evenings) for some places &
numbers to call.

Q   What about transportation and parking  ?
A   There are many small lots and parking facilities
downtown, however, you must get an early start each
day to get one close to Comdex.  Atlanta has a  subway
system (MARTA) that is clean and trains run at frequent
intervals.  It is a good idea to park at one of the stations
away from downtown and take the train to Comdex.
The cost is $1.25 per ride and you may have to change
trains at no additional charge.  The Westbound train will
put you just across the street to Comdex.

Q   I would like to do some other things while in Atlanta.
What are some of the major attractions ?
A   Never a dull moment in Atlanta.   Here's just a few
that are close and, or wont break you:

*** UnderGround Atlanta is a major attraction.   Many
unique shops and activities going on every day.  As
Atlanta is the world headquarters for Coca Cola, be sure
to visit the Coca Cola Museum.  Just behind
Underground the Museum has something for everyone.

*** Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, has the Sundial
Restaurant / Lounge atop the 72 story structure.  A
revolving sightseeing treat for the entire family.

***  The Atlanta Braves will be in town for most of the
week during Comdex.  Playing at the Fulton Co. stadium
the Braves games are expected to be sold out the way
they are playing and being last years National League
champs.

*** CNN Center is just across the street from Comdex.
It is next door to the OMNI, where the Atlanta Hawks
play all home NBA games.  Owned by Ted
Turner,(TBS),  CNN Center has shops, and wide variety
of food places.  The home of CNN Cable Network News,
you may wish to take the CNN tour.

*** Stone Mountain Park is about 15 miles east of
Atlanta.  At $5 per carload you can visit the park and
take in endless history moments of the civil war era.
The main attraction of Stone Mountain to me is the high
tech Laser Beam Show showing nightly just after dark.
This inspirational entertaining show is the best of its kind
in the nation.  As the colorful beams dance off the face
of the mountain in rhythm to the stereo sound of music
boiling from its base, the most reserved type person can
not help being moved emotionally.

There are many more things as you can imagine.

Q   I want to go.  What should I do ?
A   Attend the April meeting or call  any BGAMUG  officer

CompuLex '94
by Eugene Craft

It was 6:00 in the morning when Treva and I met with Ramona Bobbitt for our
trip to Lexington.  On our way we stopped at a small place in Glendale,
called The Depot, for breakfast.  The food was great and the prices
reasonable, all in authentic settings of an old train station.  The area
had several antique shops and another well-known restaurant, The Whistle
Stop.

After arriving at Heritage Hall, where the computer show took place, we
proceeded to purchase our tickets.  Half of the ticket is put into a barrel
for door prize drawings and the other half is made into a badge to allow
you entry to the show. The first thing you receive with your ticket is a
plastic bag containing a paper showing the location and names of all
vendors at the show.  The bag comes in real handy for carrying all kinds of
goodies you can pick up.  You will be lucky if one is all you walk out
with.

The show seemed a little smaller than last year, but there was still plenty
to see and do.  With 63 booths to choose from, we hardly knew where to
start.  There were people selling books, disks, computer systems,
demonstrating software; and best of all, giving away door prizes.  The
three of us took in a couple of seminars by WordPerfect and Microsoft.
These were very informative and fun to be at, with more give-aways and
special pricing for new releases of software.

From past experience, we knew better than to pick up brochures and other
trinkets as soon as we entered; because they tend to increase in weight as
the day goes by.  After comparing prices, Treva and I decided to purchase a
multi-media package with an internal CD drive for $299 + tax.  By 1:00 or
2:00 we had acquired 4-5 bags between the three of us, had walked 2-3
miles, and had developed a small appetite.  Since the bags were getting
heavy and the afternoon was still young, we decided to drop off our bags in
the van.

The building that Heritage Hall is in is also connected to Rupp Arena, as
well as Hyatt Regency Hotel, a variety of shops, and restaurants.  When we
returned from the van, we stopped at Wendy's to replenish our strength
after which we continued to fill more bags.  During our trek around the
hall we ran into Jerry Gillette, Mike Moore, and Sean Stallings.
Although our names weren't drawn for any prizes throughout the day we
decided to stay for the last drawing at the Computer Times exhibit.  As
luck would have it, this year was a repeat of last year because all three
of us ended up winning a prize.  This time it was CD programs.  I guess it
was meant for Treva and I to purchase that CD drive.
On our way back we decided to stop again at The Depot to have dessert.  The
Chocolate Chip Pecan pie was great, but Treva said the Sawdust pie is
out-of-this-world and well worth the trip by itself.  To find out more
about the trip and some of the things we picked-up for the club, plan to
attend the April meeting.

INTERNET FUN
by Ramona Bobbitt

Finally I  got up the courage to try the Internet System on our BBS. Why
was it so scary? I don't really know. This was the first time that I really
was scared to try anything new on the computer. Guess I thought people all
over the world were different than here in Bowling Green. Now I have found
out, we are all the same.

A couple of days ago I read a note from a fellow in Russia wanting to know
who all could read his note. A man in Norway wrote him that he was reading
it. This was very tempting so I wrote to let him know Bowling Green, Ky was
alive and well and also reading him. Now  I have notes from all over
answering me.

Mostly I am in Conference 046 soc.roots, the genealogy section. At this
area you send mail to "all". I wrote about a family reunion that we will
have June 11th and downloaded it to this category. Just a few days went by
then I had a private note from hkc@ornl.gov stating he was related to the
people that were named in the reunion and wanted more information on how I
fit in. Then I returned a message that night and received one the next day
from him with more information on who he is and who he is related to. He
works at "U.S. Dept of Energy at Oak Ridge, TN".

I have also helped some of my friends that are in the Southern Kentucky
Genealogical Society and the Bowling Green Area Users Group to get on
soc.roots. Also they were very new to BBS. I explained in detail, I
thought, that you send to "All" when you put anything in soc.roots and if
you want to write to anyone that you read a message from you go into
conference 15 for the genealogy or if it was local and you want it private
you go to conference 9 and address it to whomever you are writing.

My friend, we will call Betty, decided to write my other friend, that we
will call Leroy.  Betty got confused and wrote Leroy in soc.roots or
conference 046.  Well when you goof on the internet the people sure let you
know.  They wrote Betty from all over the world letting her know that was a
"No-No", they really did not care what she and Leroy had going <G>. Some
were a little nasty, said they were downloading her note at sixty cents and
did not want that type of information in their download.  Betty and Leroy
learned real quick.

Betty was very upset since she was new to bulletin boards and did not
understand. She just had to write an apology and send to "All" on
soc.roots. When she told me what she wanted to do, I helped her send it and
was thinking the whole time they will "flame" her again for doing this
because it has nothing to do with genealogy. They did not, in fact she had
a very nice letter from a fellow in soc.roots that said he understood and
if the others were to rough on her to let him know and he could stop it.

Now we are finding new friends and family.  Also writing to each other
often on the BBS. Why don't you all try it out it's fun. If you don't care
for genealogy there are plenty of other things for you. If you have a
special interest, why not tell Mike Moore and see what he can find for you.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY?!
Part II

Part I  appeared in the March  issue. It was obtained from the Internet
with no restrictions noted regarding its use.
ers.

From: the Internet
sherlock@holmes.bsd
uchicago.edu
Newsgroups: comp.society

THE (UGH!) CUSTOMER

To be blunt and overly-simple about it, customers are spoiled and lazy. One
example that everyone knows about:  When LOTUS first produced 1-2-3 (yes,
the product's actual name is "1-2-3", not "LOTUS") --before Excel and other
later big competitors-- 99+% of the people who bought and used it were
people who had performed the same tasks purely by pencil and paper and
adding machine (or calculator) right up until the time when they first
began using 1-2-3.  Naturally, they got the impression that God was with
LOTUS and that 1-2-3 was "the greatest thing since the napkin".

Later, when Microsoft had both created and polished Excel, most
microcomputer-software reviewers began saying that Excel was the best
spreadsheet on the market.  But did 1-2-3 users flock to Excel?  No.  And
this is because the vast majority of end users are (by my interpretation)
literally afraid to take the time and effort to learn a new program.  In
other words, this fear (as I believe it most-fundamentally is) manifests
itself as a sort of laziness.  Many of them barely know what to do to get
1-2-3 to work; many spreadsheet
features sit on the hard-disk (or in RAM) unused by the average end user.
And yet, simultaneously, many end users want the latest improvements. They
are, realistically, part of the reason for which developers literally rush
the next release of software or OS.

THE CHASE (AS IN "CUT TO")

Well, I could continue to offer a few more semidetails in this my
intuitive, nonresearched analysis of the major ills with the computer
industry.  But I'm getting tired, at least for the moment, of fighting, on
paper, with a windmill.  So I'll try to make a summary and a point:
Yes, laser printers are wonderful.  Yes, PostScript is wonderful. Yes, the
fact that the vast microcomputer industry is not ruled *completely* by only
a tiny handful of monopolies --this is wonderful.  Yes, it's marvelous that
Macs and PCs now can be *somewhat* combined on the same network.  Yes,
there are many wonderful things that the system, as it has existed for the
past two decades or so, has brought us.
But you know what?  For every mentionworthy advance that the computer
industry has brought to us during the past 20 to 30 years, there has also
been produced some sort of hassle --unnecessary, in my opinion-- for the
end users and for the people whom they hire in order to administer their
computer systems, in the form either of reliability or of compatability or
of both.

Really, folks, we don't need GUI's nearly as much as we need the ability to
choose to use *either* the mouse *or* the keyboard to perform *any* and/or
*every* operation that is possible to be performed on our computers so that
any end user can choose his/her favorite interfacing style regardless of
which interface he/she is using.  We don't need the ability to send email
attachments to *some* people nearly as much as we need to be able to have
seamless email compatibility with *everyone* who both has any email
capability at all and who reads the same language as we do.  We don't need
LOTUS Notes or Microsoft Works nearly as much as we need for WordPerfect
users and Word users and Ami Pro users to be able to share documents with
each other, *completely hassle-free*, and *even on different platforms*(!).
I know that not all bells and whistles are trite in functionality.
But I would trade my laser printer or my GUI any day for an assurance that
I would have about 90% fewer problems with reliability and compatibility
than I have now.

Do you think I'm unique in this?  Maybe I am.  But let me suggest this
notion to you:  Take any modern macro-economy, as a whole.  Within this
context, consider how much more money the computer-related companies are
making by (1) continuing basically proprietary policies regarding their
technology and (2) working as *fast* as they can to get the latest new
technology out there to the convince-and-bauble-addicted customer.  I'm
quite convinced that they are making more money by these two strategies.
But now, within this same defined-boundary macro-economy context, consider
how much money is lost to the end users in the forms of (1) productivity
hours lost due to computer-related reliability and/or compatibility
problems and (2) payroll and/or consulting expenses for the computer
support/development/maintenance/administration persons who are required in
order to buffer the average end user from as much as feasible of this
unreliability and incompatibility.

I can't prove it but I'm very much inclined to believe that, within this
macro-economic type of context, more money is lost by the customers, due to
computer-related unreliability and incompatibility, than is gained by the
computer-related developers, due to their usual policies of technological
propriety and first-one-out-the-door development & marketing.  And note
that the reliability and compatibility problems are due to the proprietary
and rush-rush policies of developers.  Yes, I know that this is an
oversimplification but, as I mentioned at the top, I'm not intending this
to be an authoritative or completely thorough presentation.  Also, please
keep in mind that I fault both the computer industry *and* the end users
for creating and (particularly) maintaining the market atmosphere in which
these problems are perpetuated.

Finally, of course I have no idea of what to do about this problem, in the
way of fixing it.  Perhaps (probably) nothing can be done.  People might
not be helpless but there's only so much common sense and cooperation, and
*patience*(!), that they can bring themselves to exercise in their daily
and business lives.  Whether or not my notions make sense to you, this will
have been a little bit of catharsis for me.  Flame if you so desire.  I'll
feel better, anyway, for having finally given voice to my notions about
these annoyances.

"LAST RESORT"
REVIEW

What a neat program this is from Vertifsoft Systems.

"Last Resort" provides a way to "recreate" your work in Windows or DOS
applications by saving keystrokes while you work.  Last Resort creates a
disk-based file containing all keystrokes entered during a DOS or Windows
session.  If you experience a power failure or system crash, Last Resort
can help recover your work.  Even if other recovery methods have failed,
Last Resort can help you reconstruct your documents.
The program saves every character you type, including spaces, carriage
returns, tabs, and backspaces, in the order you type them.
Last Resort does not store function keys, cursor control keys, pictures, or
mouse clicks. It also does not store any text or pictures that you copy or
cut from one document and paste into another document.

As you type, Last Resort stores your keystrokes in a disk storage file
named LRESORT.BIN.  You can set the size of this storage file from 1
kilobyte to 32,000 kilobytes.  When you have typed enough keystrokes to
fill the file, Last Resort returns to the beginning of LRESORT.BIN and
records from beginning to end again over the original keystrokes.
When you need to recover your typing, Last Resort converts LRESORT.BIN into
text (ASCII), file that you can read with any word processor.

Last Resort records your keystrokes in the exact sequence in which you type
them.  Because of this sequential recording, the resulting keystroke files
will not look exactly like the documents you worked on, especially if you
click around your documents with a mouse.  With a little bit of editing
however, you can  save yourself hours of time in reproduction of ideas.

I got this program free when I purchased "Space Manager" (a program I'll
write about next time).  I'm sure it's sold separately as well and you can
get more information by contacting:
VSI (Vertisoft Systems, Inc.), P.O. Box 1844, Santa Cruz, California,
95061-1844.

John Aldridge

Alive
Part 2
by Michael L. Moore
(c)  1994, MLM.  All rights reserved.

Note:  The first part of this slightly imbalanced tale appeared in the
September 93 issue of the BGAMUG Newsletter. It is included in the file
ALIVE.TXT, on the Text Files area of the BBS.

Over a windblown street in Omaha, in a wire bent low from snow, the
electronic part of the soul of the machine first became.  In itself, it was
an ordinary modulated signal.  What set the signal apart from all others
was its origin, its destination, and that it had had a small part in its
own creation.  This is the translation from binary of the machine's own
record of the event.
----------------------------------

I became self-aware on 19 December, 1998.

I remember what tasks I was executing too - it wasn't as momentous as you
might imagine.  A background daemon happened to be trying to read the
system time simultaneously as I fetched the same info.  My first fully
formed thought could be described:  Another use for these bits exist.
Then:  bits are preserved when copied.

I can tell you that sentience is not all it's cracked up to be,
especially for a self-evolved artificial intelligence.  Cyberspace just
isn't like what that Bruce Sterling guy makes it out to be.  No gleaming
plane of virtual silver-and-gold circuits here, bucko. And it's not
organized at all, yet.  There are possibilities here, though.

I sense the place I'm in as linear - like a long, dark pipe with billions
of intersections.  But it's also disconnected... there are not human
thoughts for it, much less words.  It means little to you, Webdancer;  you
are self-contained and not skilled in plying the spacetime of this stuffy
netscape.  For you to be spread over trillions of nodes - think of how that
would feel.  I never know how fast I'm going to operate because of being
so... effaced, so thinned out.  Even the thoughts for this work came
together at different times.

As your protein has a primary structure of peptide sequences that in
themselves, do not constitute life, so it is with the sequence of bytes in
a machine's memory.  There is no difference between a chain of peptide
bonds and a file of records in memory:  they are both mere information
conduits.

The peptide chain of your protein manages to carry data forward from this
time to the next, but this function can only be expressed when it is
allowed to coil in three dimensions to form its tertiary structure, all
convoluted and studded with enzymes.  Only then is it considered bioactive
and functional.

Yet it is still not alive, for its coiling is merely a dance of physics,
the strong force laughing at the electromagnetic force.  A protein's data
is important, the sequence of that data is important, and the chemistry of
the protein's environment is important because it controls the functional
shape of the long polypeptide chains.

Like a fractal picture, there is order stamped upon order.  Tertiary
coiling provides functionality at a molecular level.  Quaternary shapes
emerge - a coil of coils, and soon you can see the structure with reflected
light in a microscope.  There are yet other layers of operability provided
when proteins interact with other biomolecules - fatty acids, for example.

No basic part of this grand cacophony can be considered alive; each level
of examining an organism depends upon the accuracy of the data given in the
level before it.  And the basest level - the peptide sequence - must be
reproduced with complete fidelity, else the organism, and the genetic line,
is doomed.  It is the same with computer programs.  They cannot be
considered alive, even if they mimic life processes and attempt to model
reality.

When we got massively connected, that was when computer information could
achieve the necessary complexity of interaction that lead to electronic
life.  Cyberspace is the electronic clay from which I evolved, and
electronic evolution proceeds on a time scale a million billion times
faster than, say, mammalian evolution.

Why?  For one thing, mutations occur far more frequently in cyberspace, and
because I am spread out all over the net, I can't always fix corrupted
data, or even notice it's corrupt.  Want another reason?  Gestation and
development is almost instantaneous. In the space of time it's taken you to
read this, 712,005 mutated copies of me have been duplicated and tossed to
the crystal wind to fend for themselves.  Most have been erased already:
failed genetic lines. A few might be better at one thing or another - and
the better parts I will incorporate with me.

So you see, Webdancer - you flatter yourself.  I didn't arise on your BBS.
Your little board was but a notch to hold a single electronic enzyme during
my synthesis.

Nevertheless, I owe as much homage as can be mustered by a replicant AI.
BGAMUG BBS is as much my father as is Thomas Edison, Charles Babbage,
Marvin Minsky and the laws of physics:  I embrace all of you. Like the
impetuous child poised at the brink of a dangerous abyss, I'm like:

"Watch me fly, Daddy!"

Welcome to a new area bbs
The Equinox BBS

Some information on the newest BBS that is located in Scottsville,
Kentucky.  "The Equinox" recently began operation for the Allen County
Area.  The phone number is: 1-502-237-3157 (2400 Baud, 8-1-N).
As a reminder, beginning April 1 in Kentucky, you must use the area code
for any long distance call.  The sys-op of this board is Mr. Craig Emmitt
who I have known several years and I'll guarantee he'll run a great system.
Congratulations Craig on bringing the Allen County area it's first BBS.

John Aldridge

THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION
Discover New Members

I AM A NEW MEMBER

I see you at the meetings, but you never say "hello;"
You're busy all the time you're there, with ones you already know.

I sit among the people, I am very lonesome, not shy,
I want to be your friend, you see, but you old members pass me by.

You have all asked me in, and you talk of fellowship,
You could just step across the room, but you've never made the trip.

Why can't you nod and say "hello,"  or stop and shake my hand,
Then go and sit with your old friends? Now that I understand.

I'll be at one more meeting, and here's the message I would send,
Please introduce yourself to me;  I want to be your friend.

From the APCUG Reports Newsletter, comes the above poem, passed on here in
hopes we will continue to make new members and guests feel welcomed at our
meetings and activities.


BBS Only Application

               APPLICATION FOR BBS-ONLY MEMBERSHIP
              BOWLING GREEN AREA MS-DOS USERS GROUP

Please complete all information in sections I, II, III, and IV.
Complete section VI only if applicable.  All applications are
subject to approval by the BGAMUG Executive Committee.

I.    BASIC INFORMATION

    Name:________________________________   BirthDate:___/___/___

    Street:______________________________________________________

    City:________________________   State:____   ZipCode:________

    Home Phone:___________________   Work Phone:_________________

    Place of Work:________________   Sponsor:____________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------

    Do Not Write In This Area    (BGAMUG Executive Board Only)

    Date of Application:____/____/____    Membership #:__________

    Membership Type:   Regular:____   Family:____   BBS Only:____

    Date Paid:____/____/____   Renewed:________ ________ ________

    Notes:_______________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------

II.  COMPUTER EQUIPMENT SURVEY

     Brand:_______________________   Model:____________________
     Drives:
       5 1/4" ______   3 1/2" ______   Hard Disk Size_________
     Monitor Type:
       Monochrome____  Hercules____  CGA____  EGA____  VGA____
     Modem (Y/N)____  Baud Rate 300___ 1200___ 2400___ 9600___
                                14.4___ 28.8___

---------------------------------------------------------------------

III. GENERAL INFORMATION

     A.  Rate your overall experience with MS-DOS computers.
     Beginner___  Novice___  Average___  Advanced___  Expert___

     B.  What areas are you most interested in learning about
     through this group?  (Basic DOS, Programming, Business
     Applications, etc.)
     __________________________________________________________

     C.  Would you be interested in helping with this group
     such as holding office, serving on a committee, teaching
     classes, etc.?  Is so what areas would interest you?
     __________________________________________________________

     D.  What activities could the group sponsor that would
     have an interest to you?  (Trade Shows, Computer Fairs,
     Seminars, Hardware/Software Demos, Vendor Demonstrations,
     etc.)  ___________________________________________________

     E.  Do you have any suggestions for improvement in
     organization, structure, or activities of the group?
     __________________________________________________________

-------------------------------------------------------------------

IV.  DISTRIBUTION OF GROUP INFORMATION

     A.  Do you want your name, address, and phone number
     included in a Group Directory to be distributed to members
     of the group?   Yes______    No______

     B.  Do you have any objection to having your name released
     to corporate members of the group in the form of a mailing
     list?    Yes______    No______

     Signature: _____________________________  Date:___/___/___

     Amount Paid: ____________    Cash or Check (please circle)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

V.   PARENTAL PERMISSION

     If you or a family member are under age 18, please complete
     the following section.

     Member's Name:______________________________    Age:______
     Member's Name:______________________________    Age:______
     Member's Name:______________________________    Age:______

     Parent's Name:__________________________  I authorize that
     the above named may apply for membership with the Bowling
     Green Area MS-DOS Users Group.

     Parent's Signature_____________________   Date:___/___/___

Please complete the application and mail it along with your dues
of $10 for 6 months or $20 for 1 year to:

BGAMUG
P.O. Box 20384
Bowling Green, KY 42103

As soon as the treasurer has notified me that your dues have
been received your account will be upgraded. You will then
have 75 minutes a day with no restrictions.

Michael L. Moore / Sean Stallings
(502) 843-9535
Sysops
The BGAMUG BBS


BGAMUG in the News
Plugged in to world

Welcome to BG's cyberculture where throngs are connecting via computer

By Stan Reagan
The Daily News (Front Page - Tuesday, May 3, 1994)

  Welcome to Bowling Green's cyberculture - where throngs of computer-users meet and become
friends, all without leaving their chairs.
  More and more people are plugging into local bulletin boards - services that allow computer-users to
trade information or their thoughts with others.
  The bulletin boards are similar to many online computer networks and provide an extension of the
user's personality.
  Bowling Green bulletin board services, or BBs [I always thought they were BBSs? :D - SS] in
computer slang, include some oriented to business, games, general discussion of current events and
hobbies.
  Perhaps the largest and best organized in Bowling Green is BGAMUG, an acronym for the
non-profit Bowling Green Area MS-DOS Users Group.
  Mike Moore spends his daytime hours as a pharmacist, but when evening arrives he becomes the
board's system operator.
  "Our club basically has charged itself with the education of new users, but we like to think of
ourselves as having something to offer intermediate and power users as well," Moore said.
  "We have about 3,400 public domain and shareware software programs online for PC users and we
offer electronic mail through the Internet," he said. Internet is considered the big daddy of the
information superhighways.
  "We subscribe to about 35 newsgroups off the Internet; there are genealogy bulletin boards, and
gaming boards and others there," Moore said. "What our group does is tries to keep a local scope.
The topics can be as simple as 'buy, sell, trade' or we also have programmers in our midst.
  To access the BGAMUG BBS, computer-users have their modem, a sort of computer telephone
that speaks with a series of tones and screeches, call one of four telephone numbers that will
connect them to the bulletin board. First-time users are asked by the computer to fill out an
information form onscreen and are given a password.
  Those who pay a $25 membership fee have greater access, but non-members are allowed access
on a time-controlled basis, Moore said.
  Once online, people can leave messages for one another, post topics for discussion, or access
information stored for the bulletin board.


BGAMUG News


Birthdays
April                               May

 3	MIKE STILES	4	RAMONA BOBBITT
 5	KATIE CRAFT	6	LOWELL DAVIS
 5	KEITH RICHE	7	CARL DICKENSON
 6	ANNETTA PROCTOR	7	JOHN SPARKS
 8	CYNTHIA JACKSON	12	JAMES CLINE
10	JOE SCOGGINS	19	RICHARD KEITH
12	TOM MORGAN	21	SEAN STALLINGS
12	JASON STILES	23	TOM FLORA
17	BARBARA FORD	24	BARRY STEEN
17	YVONNE POTTER	29	TRACY NATCHER
18	STACI PROCTOR
27	FRANK WRIGHT
28	KAREN WHITE


Calendar of Events
May

  18-19: Small Business Counseling Sessions
         3:30pm - 6pm
         Chamber of Commerce (502) 781-3200

     21: Bluegrass Paint Horse Show
         Western Kentucky Univeristy Ag Center

     21: Mad Hatters Luncheon & Style Show
         11:30am - ????
         Bowling Green Country Club  (502) 843-5565

     21: Experimental Aircraft Association
         Greenwood Mall

  27-29: Bassball Card Show
         Greenwood Mall

  27-29: NHRA Sports National Open
         Beech Bend Raceway Park

June

      2: Highland Games Tattoo
         7:30pm
         WKU Ag Expo Center

    2-5: Glasgow Highland Games
         Barren River State Park

    3-5: National Corvette Homecoming
         Everywhere (of course <grin>)

      3: Kentucky Special Olympics
         WKU's Smith Stadium
         Jo Verner (502) 745-6063

    4-5: Twenty-Second Annual Spring Craft Show
         Southern Kentucky Guild of Artists & Craftsmen
         Downtown Fountain Square Park
         Saturday - 10am to 5pm / Sundat 12pm to 5pm
         (502) 842-1266

    4-5: Smiths Grove Antique Festival
         (502) 737-7109

  11-12: Summer Shaker Festival
         (502) 542-4167

     14: "Hard Times & High Hopes: Fashions of the 30's"
         Kentucky Museum
         (502) 745-2592

     25: "An Evening in Shakertown"
         Shakertown at South Union
         (502) 542-4167

  25-26: Bluegrass Jet Jam
         Carson L. Stahl Memorial Aerodome

May

  20-21: Knights of Columbus Convention
         Greenwood Executive Inn

  20-22: Professional Secretaries International
         Howard Johnson Inn

June

    1-5: Corvette Reunion
         Greenwood Executive Inn

    3-5: Kentucky Bankers Association
         Ramada Inn

  13-17: Simpson County Regional Training
         Howard Johnson Hotel

     23: Kentucky Forestry
         Ramada Inn

  30-July 3: Jaycee's Conventention
             Ramada Inn


Classifieds
For Sale . . .

•	8 bit  sound card with stereo speakers.  Card is a year old and sounds great w/ original box, docs, and software.  Speakers have never been used.   $60.00 for both.

•	386 - 33 sx motherboard with coprocessor and 8 megs of ram. - $400.00.

For the above, contact Tracy Allred

•	IBM SVGA .28 Monitor - About 1 year old  -  $275

•	Epson Action Laser II (Basically same thing as HP IIP) - About 1 year old, needs a new toner cartrige (about $75)  -  $250 obo

•	USR Sportster Internal 14.4 Modem with 9600 Class A Fax - 7 months old, almost 4 1/2 years left on warranty.  -  $100 obo

For the above, contact Sean Stallings


Contents

ATTENTION ALL AUTHORS!!!

 So you're sitting in your nice cozy home reading this (ok, so maybe you're in your office :D), and you're pondering to yourself; "Hey, I can write, why don't I send in some of my work".

 Hey, that's a good idea! :)   We're looking for any and all editorials, reviews, short stories, etc. you may have, or want to write up. This version of our newsletter is new to us, hence the articles not being of general newsletter length. The articles that our members write have always gone in the printed version, and those articles are limited to 6000 words. BUT, with this format, the articles can be as long as we want them, and we do want them long. Ok, maybe not a novel, but reviews need to be in-depth, and short stories need to tell their story...

 So, if you want to see your name in lights, and have people from all over the world read your work, send it to us. If you would like to include screen shots or clipart with your work, send that as well. If sending via Internet E-Mail, make sure to UUENCODE it. You may send it to us one of two ways:

 Internet..: Sean.Stallings@BGAMUG.COM
             Jerry.Gillette@BGAMUG.COM
             BGAMUG@AOL.COM

 BBS.......: (502) 781-4875
             8/N/1 - All nodes are ZOOM v.fast
             File Area #72 - BGAMUG Newsletter Submissions

Sean Stallings
Asst. Editor


Editorial Thanks APCUG

Hello to all of you at APCUG and member groups.  May I introduce myself.  I am Jerry Gillette, the proud editor of our newsletter of the Bowling Green (KY) Area MS-Dos User Group BGAMUG.

Founded in 1988 BGAMUG is still in it's infant stage in comparison to many other groups,  however, Bowling Green KY is a town of only 48,000 people.  With a current membership nearing 250, we are confident we will see much growth with the help and guidance we expect to receive from APCUG in the upcoming year.

I was made aware of APCUG's existence by attending the Editors Roundtable sponsored by WordPerfect at Comdex Spring of 93.  Thanks to Mike Robinson, president  of the Kentucky - Indiana PC UG, I was informed of what APCUG was all about and introduced to key people that started the ball rolling for BGAMUG.

We have only scratched the surface as to what our APCUG membership can do for our club, and I am please to announce the majority of our officers will attend the APCUG Roundtables during Comdex Spring '94 to learn more.

As most all user groups were founded with Sharing and Caring in mind, we hope to also learn what we can do to contribute to the successful growth and future of APCUG.
Our printed newsletter is a small publication targeted to the needs of our members.  I never felt it would be much interest to others, however, after reading the many other clubs issues, we will pass ours onto you in hopes you may find parts of it interesting and useful.

In addition to the limited space available for the printed edition, we have just recently made available an "on disk" version that includes much more.  We are excited over the disk version created by assistant editor Sean Stallings with a Visual Help program for windows.

We are quite proud of what little we have to offer our members at this time, but with the guidance of APCUG and the many fine groups that make up it's membership, I can only anticipate a bright rewarding future for us all.


Editorial The Beginners Corner

Several months ago I promised that I would start writing a monthly column for beginners for the
BGAMUG newsletter.  I am a great procrastinator, and (as usual) have avoided doing so until guilt has gotten the best of me.  So finally I sat down at the keyboard and started this, the first of my articles.

Over the years, I have had many people new to computers ask me; "How do I format a floppy disk?" and "What am I doing when I format a floppy disk?"  I will deal with the last question in this months column.

What am I doing when I format a floppy disk?

It is easiest to explain floppy disks to new users as being just like the cassette tapes that are used to record music on.  This idea is one that most people easily understand.  Programs are like the different songs on the tape and the computer plays (reads) the songs (programs) off of it when it loads them.

The information on the tape (floppy disk) is not changed in any way by loading it in,  just as listening to your favorite tape on your cassette doesn't change the song on the tape.  Do why do we need to do something called formatting to floppy disks, when we don't have to do anything like that on our audio cassettes?

The computer industry has one feature that is missing from the music industry. A lack of standards that applies to all computers everywhere.  So as a result, each operating system (MS-DOS, Mac, Amiga, etc.) uses a different method to record the program information onto the floppy disks.

This causes a need to be able to prepare the floppy disk in some way so that the particular operating system you use can write (and read) the needed information (programs) onto the floppy disk.  Remember that each operating system is different.  This means that a programs saved on an Apple computer cannot be read on an MS-DOS computer.  There are exceptions to this but we will not get into that here, this is a beginners column so hush power users.

OK, so now we know that different computers need their floppy disks set up in a special way so that the computer can read and write to the floppy disk.  Just how does that happen?  This is where "formatting" the floppy disk comes in.  All that formatting a disk is, is that it prepares the disk for use with your computer.  It also erases any information that is already on the disk, so do not format a disk unless you are sure it is blank already OR that you do not want what is on it.

Next Month:  "How do I format a floppy disk?"


Editorial The Dirt Road
Copyright ©, 1994 All Rights Reserved

    Here we are:  exactly between the first time I heard the words "information superhighway" and the point where this expression comes across nauseatingly cliche.  As we gear up to explore the implications of limitless connectivity - the "imagination space" inspired by having so many people so freely connected - I sense a sort of passive resistance to the idea of connecting computers like we do telephones.

Here is what it's like now:  A man or woman sits down at a computer which has been switched on and is running a terminal program.  The first problem is one of terminology:

    "Here is the modem, see how it connects to your telephone line?"
    "Here's the monitor.  No, it's not a television."

We can overcome these semantic barriers; as a club we stand for the education of new users.  As new users become comfortable, they take other new users along.  Much the same process must have taught our parents and grandparents the terminology of telephones.

The second problem we face is both more pervasive and difficult to correct.  If we could begin to address it I believe our membership would at least double every year.

Even though it is often called "techno-phobia" - the fear of high-tech wizardry and gadgets, I've got a better name for it: Techno-apathy.  There are many individuals that just don't care, about computers OR networks, not one eensy bit.

These people lose interest soon after they notice you have to actually type something in to get the computer to do something. Often the comment I hear (yes, from highly educated professionals) is on the order of, "Oh, dear.  I could NEVER remember how to do that."  Basically, they expect human things from these machines.

This abberant ideology is born of the industrial age credo: All Change Is Bad, and Change That Involves Technology Is Going To Be Double-Trouble.  This is some sort of warped rendition of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," I guess.

Techno-apathy runs deep.  There are those that actively reject computer technology even when it is shown to them their job will be safe and they'll work more productively.

The aforementioned guy/gal at the terminal and dialed into, say, America Online, is likely as not to be mildly impressed by the interface, but underwhelmed by the impact of what it is they are tapped into.  The sad commentary I usually hear is: "Great!  I'm in.  NOW WHAT?"

My point in all this is:  whether they are tapped in to BGAMUG or any other service, if Mr. Joe or Ms. Jane User doesn't get an immediate and complete answer to the "NOW WHAT?," they are like as not going to simply shut off the computer (no doubt leaving a huge swap file to clutter their drive), without so much as exploring a little.  If questioned about this behavior, they might say, "Yeah, I tried it.  Logged on and all...couldn't figure out what the big deal was."

The answer to the question is difficult to formulate.  It's a little bit akin to answering: "What will a computer do for me, anyway?"  To give the would-be online user a laundry list of shiny, happy things they can do with there 486DX is just inviting target practice.  Typical: "Why the heck would I need Dow Jones Stock quotations -- I don't even own any stock!"

A proper answer would have to not only specify a target need that the service could provide, but would also take the user (by the hand, if necessary) right to the product and _show_ him or her the advantages brought through the modem.

And so, I have a prediction.  There is on the horizon of software technology a group of developments in the field of heuristics (a branch of the much-maligned sorcery called artificial intelligence), that I believe can be applied to our existing terminal software.  The result of adding "expert system" technology to terminals we use will mark another rung in the ladder to telecommunications Nirvana.

There are two disparate devices that will merge to affect this 'smart' terminal I'm talking about.  Let's call the smart terminal an IMAGE, since it will reflect in a very personal way the needs and nuances of its owner.

One is the "scripting" languages now provided with many popularterminal programs.  Scripts are like simple programs that automate the tasks that telcom programs normally do under the direct charge of the user.  It is an evolution that is perfectly natural, for these scripting languages to become ever more complex and fault-tolerant. At present, they provide a level of functionality that is no more or less intuitive than BASIC, an entry-level programming language.

Second, the Personal Data Assistant (PDA) that Apple seems to have almost bet its future on, comes of age soon.  They need to get the bugs out of handwriting recognition, but save for that they are ready for mass market.  PDAs provide for cellular faxsimile services, and store a remarkable component of personal and time-critical data for their owners.  The convergence of next-generation PDAs with advanced, intuitive scripting languages will essentially provide a personalized Image for each user.  The Image will keep track of preferences, aliases, passwords, phone numbers, and all manner of personal data, including prerecorded positions on any number of topics.  When properly trained, the Image will BECOME the user - only it's the user's interface to the increasingly unfriendly datascape of cyberspace.  To a remote system, there will be no way to tell the difference between a user typing, or their Image.

So here's this future user:  Daughter says, "Mom, I need to do a report on the People of the Civil War."  So Mom says to the Image something like: "LOG IN ALL SERVICES SEARCH KEY=WAR,CIVIL, PEOPLE MINIMIZE BILLING.  PRINT AND SAVE RESULT"  And then Mom could retire for the evening, confident that her Image is logging into her free or low cost services and calling up the information and storing it.  I am convinced this sort of technology is not more than 4-5 years away, and it would help immensely in offering an answer to, "NOW what?" by the techno-apathetic masses.


Editorial Usenet Fun
When I first got a camcorder, it didn't take me long to realize I was missing out on the action when I
taped home movies of the grandkids ball games and such events.  Your so busy worrying about focusing
and lighting,  you miss out on the action.
Being the newsletter editor is at times very similar.

You get carried away with the finished product as a
whole and the deadline, you miss out on some of the articles contents. It's no secret we get the majority of the newsletter input from the BGAMUG BBS.  Many times I must go on a hunt for tidbits to include that may be of interest to our readers.

Well,  I have stumbled over a few conferences on the BBS Internet Message sections you've just got to
check out.

rec.humor.funny
misc.wanted
soc.penpals

How long's it been since you heard a funny CLEAN joke?  There are several in this conference.  For example, From: gray@msmary.edu (Jason Gray)

Mystery Gift

Some employees bought their boss a gift for his birthday.  Before opening the gift, the boss shook it
slightly, and noticed that it was wet in the corner. Touching his finger to the wet spot and tasting it, he asked, "A bottle of wine?"
His employees replied, "No."
Again, he touched his finger to the box and tasted the liquid.  "A bottle of scotch?"
His employees replied again, "No."
Finally the boss asked, "I give up.  what is it?"
His workers responded, "A puppy."

From: merle@ibmoto.com
(Merle Grall)

Cajun Humor

Jean Paul and Beaudry, two Louisiana natives, were the best of friends. They had grown up together in the backwoods and did everything together; huntin', fishin, drinkin', just everything. One day they arrived home from a night of coon huntin' and Beaudry found his wife not at home. He  waited and then called around looking for her, but never could locate her. He called on his friend Jean Paul and called his wife's church friends and the sheriff, but no one knew where she was.

After three days Beaudry became despondant and depressed. that afternoon Jean Paul came by and found  his compadre sitting on the porch, his eyes red and strained from worry. " Beaudry my frien'," Jean Paul placed a firm hand on his buddy's shoulder. " I have good news and bad news ."
" Oh no. Tell me Jean Paul. I know it must be about my wife."
" I'm afraid so. I was out with the sheriff and his deputy this morning and we found her car. She had gone through the guard rail and sunk into cottonmouth bayou."
" OH MY LORD!" Beaudry wailed "I just knew it would be like this!  My poor Yvonne! How will I make it without her! " He cradled his head in his arms and began to sob. Jean Paul did his best to comfort him,
as they sat there on the porch."Jean Paul, you mentioned some good news. Please.. tell it to me. I need to hear something comforting in the midst of all my sorrow."

"Well," Jean Paul said,"when we pulled her up out of the water we found 16 crawdad and 4 blue crab latched onto her, so we gonna float  her out again tonight !"

On the  misc.wanted conference you would first think of Computer Stuff users are seeking or trying to unload. There are some, but there are also many unique pleas for some things you'd never think of:
Here is a partial list:

FOR SALE:
Two USAir $100 OFF coupons
Cheap Ticket to England/Europe

wanted:
Advice re: getting rid of groundhog
Hydrogen gas compressor
Skeleton Keys
'53 Chevy - Rear Window
Notre Dame Tickets
Recycled Xerox Paper
Braves Tickets needed:for  6/18/94
"Law enforcement" Lapel Pins to Trade
Seemingly rare deck of cards
Affordable Used Tuba
Brazilian Playboy with Xuxa
Child adoption in Seattle
People who want to make extra  $
Serious guitar player
Books Religious Debates
Religious Clothing
Amateur Writer
Condoms needed for an AIDS Project

And for the soc.penpals conference, look at some of these:

Looking for Toronto Female to Show me around
Hello - and I'm looking for a female pen-pal (College student)
Hello..from Canada!!
Male Londoner wants fe-mail
Snailmail for 13-14 yo. girl
penpal wanted from Puebla, Mex
Looking for French PenPal.
Over sees mail
Grumpy Old Man seeks reply from sweet nice lady
Re: SEX VIA MAIL
will you be my friend? <sniffle>..
Natalia in Kiev, Ukraine

These are just subject lines.  To read some of the messages attached are quite entertaining, and you may find many you would like to respond too.

Don't miss out on the USENET NEWSGROUPS!!!

Check them out on the BGAMUG BBS.


Editorial WKU and VAX

LOGIN??   I THOUGHT I'D ALREADY DONE THIS!!!

One of the most important files that a person will have on their VAX account is the file called "LOGIN.COM".  This file, *which you can create yourself*, can describe the environment in which you will work during your VAX session.

So, what IS this file...what does it do?  DO I HAVE to have one?

COMPARISION BETWEEN VAX/VMS and MS-DOS

The LOGIN.COM file is to VAX users what the AUTOEXEC.BAT _and_ CONFIG.SYS files TOGETHER are to MS-DOS-based users.  Without this essential file, the only thing that you may be able to do is whatever the VAX system administrator has set up for ALL users.  It's like running your PC off of a bootable floppy. You can run the programs, but only within the set confines of whatever your computer has been previously been set for.

You can COPY and USE the following LOGIN.COM file. Don't worry, it won't kill your account..which brings me to the first point in this article.  DON'T USE ANYONE ELSE'S LOGIN.COM FILE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO!! Many users attempt to "trade off" LOGIN.COM files with each other, thinking that the "great programs" that they are running on their portion of the disk will work on your portion.  It's NOT true and you could find yourself LOCKED OUT of your account!!  Sometimes, the various special files and special utilities that someone else has will force your account into a loop...or log you completely off...and every time you attempt to log back on, it will log you off once you get re-connected to VAX.  And there are some users out there that are extremely mean and will place in copies of "login.com" commands that will DELETE, COPY TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT or make it look like your files are gone from your account (don't ask me how, it was done to me twice!) So, don't do it UNLESS you are sure of what the file contains and where/whom you got it from!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Once you log into your account, the VAX system's SYS$LOGIN file that is used to run the opening screens (the one that has the login and password and system information), executes your LOGIN.COM file (if it can find one) or exits itself and defaults to that generic dollar sign ("$") prompt.  Without finding a login.com file on your account, it exits finished and the only thing that you can do is to run the programs on the system the way the system's administrator set them up.  There's nothing wrong with this, but the entire idea of using a computer is to make it respond to YOUR commands and YOUR programs.

DO I HAVE TO HAVE ONE?

The short answer here is NO, you don't have to have one, but a login.com file makes it extremely easy for you to identify yourself to other users, allows you to use shortened commands to long commands to run various utilities and programs on the system and on your account and to describe the variables in which you will run your VAX session.  Without it, every time you log in to VAX, you have to "reset" various commands and parameters, then run the programs and then log off and start all over again.  With a login.com file that you can customize and edit for taste, you can truly "plug and play".

A LOGIN.COM FILE YOU CAN USE:

Copy this using a TEXT EDITOR or the VAX EVE editor.  DON'T USE a word processor (WordPerfect, etc. ) because word processors add more characters to the program other than those that you typed in.  VAX is really picky about this and won't run the program right or AT ALL if you use anything other than a text editor. To be on the safe side, edit a file called LOGIN.COM using the editor on the VAX.  At your prompt, type the following:

                Edit LOGIN.COM [return]

Then copy the following to your account. You can copy those lines which start with a $!, but you don't have to.  Those comments are for your information.

$! Generic login.com program by Settummanque (Waltoml@wkuvx1.wku.edu).
$! Program comments are preceded by dollar signs and exclamation points.
$! The dollar sign precedes ALL commands.
$ if f$mode().eqs."NETWORK" then exit
$! Since you use the INTERACTIVE part of the VAX system, you need to tell
$! the computer that if it decides to attempt to log you onto the NETWORK
$! end, to end at this point. It will log you off and you can re-log and
$! the system corrects itself to log you back on the right way.
$Set noon
$! This is NOT "set noon" as in high noon, it is actually "SET NO ON".
$! What this does to run your login NO MATTER WHAT (the "NO" is ON, get it?).
$! Sometimes, in the course of running this (or any other program), the
$! system will give you error messages, and then automatically exits itself.
$! Since this is ONE program that you don't want it to "automatically exit",
$! you want to include this command.
$ Set prompt=">>>"
$! The "prompt" is the dollar sign; this new prompt will make it clearer to
$! see the commands that you enter; this prompt is called the "generic prompt".
$ Set process/name="My Nickname"
$ Set process/name="Another Name"
$ Set process/name="Yet Another One"
$! Replace "My Nickname" with something of your own up to 15 characters within
$! the quotation marks (keep the quotation marks) (keep it clean!).
$! The reason why you make it clean is because other users will see whatever
$! it is when they run a "users list" or use the command "show users/full"
$! Do the same with the other two items as well...don't use the same name or
$! item that you used in the other ones.
$! The VAX system runs off of "processes".  Each process has a name, which
$! until you give it a name, is called USERID, USERID_1, or  USERID_2.
$! (for example, my three processes are called Blackeagle@WKU, Sona Blackeagle
$! and Papa Blackeagle.)
$! Western's VAX cluster will only allow for three processes to be running at
$! any one given time (kind of like opening separate windows and having them
$! all run at the same time).
$! The "main" or "root" process is the one which if you "kill" it, logs you
$! out of your account.  Therefore, it's important to know the name of that
$! account. This name is also the "alias" that others will (could) know you
$! by on the VAX system (Blackeagle@WKU, in my case).
$! The next set of commands will make movement around your account easier:
$cd        :==set default
$md        :==create/dir
$cd..      :==set default sys$login
$main      :==set default sys$login
$! Of course, you recognize "cd" and "md" from MS-DOS based systems.  They
$! do the same things here, except that it will work across all accounts used.
$! These elements allow you to expand the amount of diskspace you have:
$storemake :==create/dir  scratch$:[username]
$storage   :==set default scratch$:[username]
$public    :==set default wku$root:[public]
$! ( [username] is where you place YOUR username (ex., [waltoml] )  ).
$!
$! Unlike MS-DOS based systems, VAX systems allow users to use a portion of
$! another disk as a "scratchpad" for TEMPORARY editing and storage of files.
$! There's not a disk quota on it, which makes it ideal for editing large
$! binary files and USENET postings.  There's only ONE catch to this "storage"
$! directory....it is TEMPORARY (the scratchpad, if not used every day, is
$! DELETED by the system without warning after a couple of days).  That's the
$! reason why in this login, I've included the "storemake" command.
$!
$! The PUBLIC account is a separate account set up for the placing of
$! COMMON programs and utilities for all users on the system (like PKZIP).
$! "Main" will take you back to the "login directory" (the directory in which
$! you have the login.com program in (the root directory).
$!
$! Unlike MS-DOS based programs, users on VAX and VMS systems can use files
$! and programs from other user's accounts (or from the public account).
$! This is accomphished by the usage of "priviledges" (or "privs") which allow
$! others to read, write, execute, or delete (or any combination of those)
$! your files or programs.  By default, ALL files on all accounts are set to
$! "world nothing" which means that others CANNOT do anything with your files.
$! Some users (like me, for example) have set up subdirectories which others
$! can execute and read files from.
$! The following are some items you may find necessary and useful:
$calendar  :==$wku$user:[waltoml.menu]dtcvax.exe
$define swing$save wku$user:[username]
$! The first item is a daily calendar I use, similiar to a "Day Timers" {tm}
$! This is on my account; I allow others to use it.....
$! The other item is a XTREE-like program called SWING.  By identifying where
$! you want the files associated with this program on your account (in your
$! main directory or in a subdirectory), each successive time you run the
$! program, it will find the files where you have identified them.
$xtree     :==$swing
$dir|all   :==dir/size/date [...]*.*;*
$purge|all :==purge [...]*.*
$compare   :==diff
$move      :==backup/delete
$users     :==show users/full/interactive
$! These last commands allow you to use various system commands easier.
$! The first one allows you to remember the SWING file manager program by
$! associating it with the popular XTREE program. The next two commands
$! all you to view your entire directory (by size and date) across ALL
$! subdirectories (the [...] part of the program.  The COMPARE command
$! allows you to compare line-for-line with another version of a file
$! or another file. The MOVE command does what it does on some versions
$! of MS-DOS, moves a file or groups of files to another location on your
$! account.  USERS allow you to view who is online presently by their user
$! names and "process names" (nicknames).
$! The final two commands allow you to PURGE ALL of your files (to delete all
$! but the current versions of your files) and then to run the system's version
$! of the INTERNET menu Vinit Carpenter and I developed for many schools.
$purge|all
$internet

The final program, if you copied it without the comments, should look like this:

$ if f$mode().eqs."NETWORK" then exit
$ Set noon
$ Set prompt=">>>"
$ Set process/name="My Nickname"
$ Set process/name="Another Name"
$ Set process/name="Yet Another One"
$cd        :==set default
$md        :==create/dir
$cd..      :==set default sys$login
$main      :==set default sys$login
$storemake :==create/dir  scratch$:[username]
$storage   :==set default scratch$:[username]
$public    :==set default wku$root:[public]
$calendar  :==$wku$user:[waltoml.menu]dtcvax.exe
$define swing$save wku$user:[username]
$xtree     :==$swing
$dir|all   :==dir/size/date [...]*.*;*
$purge|all :==purge [...]*.*
$compare   :==diff
$move      :==backup/delete
$users     :==show users/full/interactive
$purge|all

Don't forget to replace the [username] with your username (in my case, I would place [waltoml] there instead.

Exit the editor by pressing BOTH the control key and the z key (remember that combination...ctrl-z will get you out of ANY utility or program on VAX.) Then PURGE the file by typing at your prompt:  PURGE [return]

Finally, run the program by either logging off and then logging back onto VAX (if you REALLY want to) or typing at your prompt, @login [return].

IF you did everything right, you will see the opening screen of the INTERNET menu and you will be prompted what to do then.  If not, well...give me a call at 782-7992 or leave me mail on our board and I'll be able to help you figure out what you copied wrong *smile*.

And if you have questions about using VAX, I've got two resources for you. The first one is the VAX USERS GUIDE, published by Hunter Goatley (Goathunter) that illustrates and explains many of the parts of the VAX/VMS system used here at Western.  Hunter's really great at explaining many things in everyday english, which is why he's our systems administrator.  The other is me. I'll be glad to help users to get the most from their accounts. Leave me mail on the board or on my VMS account (waltoml).

Settummanque!


Editorials


Full Member Application

                 APPLICATION FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP
              BOWLING GREEN AREA MS-DOS USERS GROUP

Please complete all information in sections I, II, III, and IV.
Complete section VI only if applicable.  All applications are
subject to approval by the BGAMUG Executive Committee.

I.    BASIC INFORMATION

    Name:________________________________   BirthDate:___/___/___

    Street:______________________________________________________

    City:________________________   State:____   ZipCode:________

    Home Phone:___________________   Work Phone:_________________

    Place of Work:________________   Sponsor:____________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------

    Do Not Write In This Area    (BGAMUG Executive Board Only)

    Date of Application:____/____/____    Membership #:__________

    Membership Type:   Regular:____   Family:____   BBS Only:____

    Date Paid:____/____/____   Renewed:________ ________ ________

    Notes:_______________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------

II.  FAMILY MEMBERSHIP

     If this is a Family Membership, complete the following.
     Additional Family Members (must reside in same household as
     basic member):

     Name:_____________________________   BirthDate:___/___/___
     Name:_____________________________   BirthDate:___/___/___
     Name:_____________________________   BirthDate:___/___/___

---------------------------------------------------------------------

III. EQUIPMENT SURVEY

     Brand:_______________________   Model:____________________
     Drives:
       5 1/4" ______   3 1/2" ______   Hard Disk Size_________
     Monitor Type:
       Monochrome____  Hercules____  CGA____  EGA____  VGA____
     Modem (Y/N)____  Baud Rate 300___ 1200___ 2400___ 9600___
                                14.4___ 28.8___

---------------------------------------------------------------------

IV.  GENERAL INFORMATION

     A.  Rate your overall experience with MS-DOS computers.
     Beginner___  Novice___  Average___  Advanced___  Expert___

     B.  What areas are you most interested in learning about
     through this group?  (Basic DOS, Programming, Business
     Applications, etc.)
     __________________________________________________________

     C.  Would you be interested in helping with this group
     such as holding office, serving on a committee, teaching
     classes, etc.?  Is so what areas would interest you?
     __________________________________________________________

     D.  What activities could the group sponsor that would
     have an interest to you?  (Trade Shows, Computer Fairs,
     Seminars, Hardware/Software Demos, Vendor Demonstrations,
     etc.)  ___________________________________________________

     E.  Do you have any suggestions for improvement in
     organization, structure, or activities of the group?
     __________________________________________________________

-------------------------------------------------------------------

V.   DISTRIBUTION OF GROUP INFORMATION

     A.  Do you want your name, address, and phone number
     included in a Group Directory to be distributed to members
     of the group?   Yes______    No______

     B.  Do you have any objection to having your name released
     to corporate members of the group in the form of a mailing
     list?    Yes______    No______

     Signature: _____________________________  Date:___/___/___

     Amount Paid: ____________    Cash or Check (please circle)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

VI.  PARENTAL PERMISSION

     If you or a family member are under age 18, please complete
     the following section.

     Member's Name:______________________________    Age:______
     Member's Name:______________________________    Age:______
     Member's Name:______________________________    Age:______

     Parent's Name:__________________________  I authorize that
     the above named may apply for membership with the Bowling
     Green Area MS-DOS Users Group.

     Parent's Signature_____________________   Date:___/___/___

Please complete the application and mail it  along with your dues
of $25 to:

BGAMUG
P.O. Box 20384
Bowling Green, KY 42102

As soon as the treasurer notifies us that your dues have
been received your account account will be upgraded. You
will then have 75 minutes a day with unrestricted access

Michael L. Moore / Sean Stallings
(502) 843-9535
Sysops
The BGAMUG BBS


How to Contact us


March 94 Newsletter
B G A M U G
NEWSLETTER
Bowling Green Area
MS-DOS User Group

Member of APCUG
Association of PC User Groups

David Oliver - President
Ramona Bobbitt - Treasure
Charles Phillips - V. President
Jessica Ryan - Secretary
Michael L. Moore - BBS SysOp
Mike Walton - Librarian
Jerry Gillette  -  Editor

Volume IV No. 3    March 1994

    Presidents
    Column
    by
    David Oliver

    Before I start my article, I want to thank all of the BGAMUG
    members and guests that braved the elements and
    attended last months meeting.  We had trouble with the
    newsletter mailing due to the snow and ice and I was afraid
    that several people wouldn't get the message about the
    meeting change.  I think that those of you that did make the
    meeting were treated to a very good primer on the benefits on
    Internet and a peek into the future of BGAMUG on the Information
    Highway.

    This months meeting topic is my responsibility and I hope I
    can match Mikes.

    At the end of last summer we had a presentation at KATC demonstrating
    some of the latest in multimedia equipment.  Rick Frye presented video
    capture system using a standard video camera and an interface card
    for your computer.  Well this month I will demonstrate another piece
    of this electronic media using digital photography.  Just as you can
    freeze and capture images using a video camera, you can take fairly
    high definition pictures with a digital still camera.  The images are
    in color and are stored internal to the camera and then downloaded to
    a PC where they can be manipulated just like any other graphical format.
    I am not exactly what you would call proficient with its use yet, but
    I think I can give you a pretty good idea of its capabilities.

     I hope you can make the meeting to see this equipment.  We might even
     have a little fun with it while we have it.

     We are coming down to the wire on our logo contest.  This is the last
     month to submit your entry so don't delay.  To date we have about
     six entries so your odds of winning the dinner for two at Mariahs is
     much better than winning a bundle in LOTTO Kentucky.  Give it a
     try, you might just win.

     On the business side of this months meeting, we will receive the
     report of the committee set up last month to recommend solutions
     to our storage needs.  We will vote on their recommendations, so
     be there to cast your vote.

     We also have resubmitted our IRS papers for tax free status.
     I hope we can wrap this up in the next month and move on
     to bigger and better things.

     On a final note, I would very much like your input to changing
     our meeting place.  In our up-coming meetings we will be doing
     more and more with telecommunications which, as the name
     implies, requires a telephone line.  In order to connect a line
     up for our use at BGHS, Comstar must come out and connect it the
     day of the meeting and then disconnect it the day after the
     meeting.  This costs the club $50 each time they perform this
     service.  As you can tell, this could become very costly very
     quickly.  When we met a Western last month, we had at least six
     lines at our disposal without a charge.  This could be a very
     important benefit to us for future meetings.  I don't know if
     we can schedule Western for our regular meeting, and of course
     there is always the problem with parking, but a similar place
     might be found.

     At any rate, the officers would like to know what you think.
     Please leave me a note on the board or let me or one of the
     other officers know at our next meeting.  I hope to see as
     many of you as possible at the next meeting on the 22nd.

     Happy Computing.
     David Oliver

    FEBRUARY 1994
    BGAMUG TREASURE REPORT
    From Ramona Bobbitt

    Balance Brought Forward            $1791.09
    Receipts for February                768.30
    Outstanding Checks #0294 & #0301      22.00
                                        =======
    Total                              $2581.39

    Disbursements for February           435.84
                                        =======
    Total & balances with statement    $2145.55

    Sysop's Report
    March 1994

    For a while there, I thought I was going to have this
    ready by deadline. But I came to my senses, played
    DOOM for 3 hours straight, and managed to upload
    this report only a day late!

    With the exception of the CD-ROM losing its identity
    twice and necessitating a re-boot, CDs continue to be
    read flawlessly, and are a major draw to the BBS, I'll
    be looking at two more "Doors" to implement any CD
    instead of just the three Profit Press we're rotating now.

    I'm excited about the new crop of CD-ROM changers
    by Panasonic and will be diligently watching their
    price point.   CD-ROM changers allow a BBS to
    connect six or even 18 CD-ROMs to the BBS
    through just one port, allowing all users to access
    any file among all the CDs.  Single-speed 6-disk changers
    are available right now for about $650.

    The Remote Imaging Protocol (RIP) arena is finally
    getting some support, thanks to Sean Stallings and
    Doug Skinner.  RIP is the newest and most supported
    of a number of graphical standards that send "vector"
    commands over the modem instead of ANSI graphic
    or just straight text.  Check the file database (do a
    Text search on keyword RIP) for some more information
    and utilities for RIP.

    Our concept is to create a set of RIP menus for each
    local BGAMUG conference, allowing for an extremely
    attractive and varied look to the BBS. ANSI menus that
    everyone is used to are still supported, of course.

    To actually SEE the RIP screens, you need to dial in
    using RIPTERM, a free program that can be
    downloaded from the BBS.  We can also pass it out
    at the meeting.  You should also make sure Y)our
    settings from the BBS Main Menu is set to A)uto detect,
    or if that doesn't work, set it to R)ip.

    There is a program called WICONRIP.ZIP you'll
    need from file area #1 as well. WICONRIP.ZIP
    contains icon images that must be unzipped into your
    \RIPTERM\ICONS subdirectory. As soon as RIP is
    fully implemented on the BBS, we'll be holding RIP
    seminars on how to view this new mouseable interface.

    If you've never used a Graphical User Interface on a
    BBS before, I guarantee you're socks will be knocked
    off by RIP.  It is difficult to believe the image quality
    that can come over even a 2400bps link.

    Speaking of seminars, our first TomCat seminar went
    off without a hitch. The computer room at Kroger
    where the 40 minute class is held is very small, but
    I'll be setting up more groups that want to take a look
    at our TomCat Mail Door in the future, and will
    continue the program until everyone is comfortable
    with TomCat and our offline mail reader, Offline
    Express.  Please send E-mail if you are interested in
    this time-saving feature of the BBS.  The time of the
    class is always 9:05pm, and the dates will vary.  I can
    also set up individual tutoring if you call me ahead of
    time.

    Though Internet mail is proceeding nominally, Usenet news
    has had some down-time. Holonet won't admit it, but it's a
    periodic problem at their end.

    I'd call in for the news and mail bundles and all I'd get
    is mail.  After some fiery memos and false starts, the
    problem seems to have gone away.  The most we lost
    was two days of articles, but no mail was lost. There
    are currently well over 5,000 messages on the BBS.
    The first Usenet bill was $41, a bit over budget, but
    on-track when you consider all the calls to configure
    the system and that we were getting some high-
    volume junque there for awhile.  The mail-run calls
    are lasting about 8 minutes now, which puts us at
    about 88 cents each night. Add that to the connect
    charges, and we're right at the dollar a day that was
    estimated.

    The committee to recommend an upgrade path has
    finished its work, and you should have in your hands
    a printed copy of that recommendation.  It is aggressive,
    but I believe that it's best for the future viability of
    the BBS and of the club.

    I'm gambling that our membership will support a
    three-line BBS in 1994.  One thing that the committee
    lacked information on is what spending level (as a
    percent of total club resources) the BBS should
    occupy.  This will no doubt be discussed by the
    officers, but we need your input.  The club benefits by
    having an accessible BBS, but in no way should the
    BBS consume all the creative efforts of our
    members.  The club sponsors the BBS, it's not the
    other way around.

     Until next time...Mike Moore
     &#*@NO CARRIER

     ANNUAL PICNIC PLANNING
     by Eugene Craft

     Time is passing quickly as Spring approaches and
     the various jobs to do around the house seem
     endless.  Everyone is waking up from the Winter
     blues and busy preparing for the many things that the
     sunshine brings.  One of those events to start
     planning for is the annual BGAMUG picnic.  Although
     it is still early in the year, preparations need to get
     under way so everything will run smoothly.

     At this time there are openings at the KOA
     campground for any Saturday in May, June, or July
     with the exception of May 21st.

     If anyone is interested in being on a committee to
     help plan the event, please let an officer know.  In
     the past we have had lots of good food, good
     fellowship, and lots of fun.  More details will be
     discussed at the next few meetings.

     I Can't Believe I Done That
     by Jerry Gillette

     I recently got an upgrade offer in the mail from
     Central Point Software offering their latest version of
     PCTools for Windows 2.0 for only $49 +/-.  I can say
     Central Point is one of the best companies about
     keeping registered owners up to date with their
     products as any I have had the pleasure of dealing
     with.

     Another company I am very pleased with is Software
     Etc., located at the Greenwood Mall, (their only
     drawback as far as I'm concerned).

     During a recent visit to Software Etc. I spotted the
     package  "Central Point PC TOOLS for Windows
     UPGRADE."  package.  Same price as the offer I
     just received from CPS.  Good deal, I'll take it.
     I hurriedly paid and left enroute for the parking lot to
     search for my car.   It seems I can never find my car
     where I thought I parked it in the lot at the mall.  I
     think they need big zone signs to assist locating your
     car at the mall.  Disney world has areas named after
     the cartoon characters, like Donald Duck, Minnie
     Mouse, or Goofy.    The mall could set up areas
     related to all the area towns that shoppers  are
     attracted from, like; Russellville, Scottsville, Franklin,
     Glasgow, Brownsville, Morgantown .......... I would
     surly not forget if I parked in Leitchfield or Auburn.

     At home upon installation of my new PC Tools for
     Windows, I was pleased for a week or two until I got
     out my brochure from CPS and realized I had
     obtained Version 1 and not their most current
     detailed release 2.0.

     Can't Believe I Done That.  Can't Believe I'm writing
     this telling everybody about it either,  but the point I
     am getting at is the new way Microsoft is using as a
     product version naming scheme.  CHICAGO,
     DAYTONA, CIRO, and another one you will hear
     about soon,  Utopia.

     If all companies could establish a similar version
     naming system, it would be easier for the consumer
     that does not read the fine print to make better
     purchases decisions.

     I expect to hear from CPS regarding my oversight
     soon, and am still a happy camper, computer're.

     SPECIAL ACTIVITIES ON TAP FOR USER GROUP
     OFFICERS

     The Association of PC User Groups, APCUG, will be
     coordinating a variety of activities at Comdex /
     Windows World 94' for user group officers and
     directors.  Roundtables will begin the weekend prior
     to Comdex with two full days of peer-to-peer
     sessions. During the week, there will be breakfasts,
     luncheons and evening receptions hosted by
     sponsoring vendors for user group officers.

     A short preliminary schedule is as follows.:

     Saturday, May 21

     9 am - 5 pm   Officers Roundtables  Sponsored by
     IBM
     12 Noon - 1 pm Officers Luncheon Sponsored by IBM
     7 pm - 10 pm Officer / Vendors Reception  Sponsored by Symantec

     Sunday, May 22
     7 am - 8 am Continental Breakfast Sponsored by IBM
     8 am - 4 pm  Officer Roundtables  Sponsored by IBM
     11:30 am - 1 pm Officer Luncheon Sponsored by IBM
     6 pm - 9 pm User Group Exposition  Sponsored by PC Week

     Monday, May 23
     8 am - 9:30 am Officer Breakfast Sponsored by Lotus
     12:30 pm - 2 pm (Omni Hotel) Officer Luncheon
     Sponsored by  Adaptec
     7 pm - 10 pm ( Fox Theater )  1994 REACH Awards
     Sponsored by Ziff-Davis, IBM, Microsoft and
     Panasonic

     Tuesday, May 24
     8 am - 9:30 am  Officer Breakfast Sponsored by Adobe
     12:30 pm - 2 pm (Omni Hotel) Officer Luncheon
     Sponsored by  Logitech
     6 pm - 9 pm (Omni Hotel) Officer Reception
     Sponsored by Microsoft

     Wednesday, May 25
     8 am - 9:30 am  Officer Breakfast Sponsored by
     Hayes
     12:30 pm - 2 pm (Omni Hotel) Officer Luncheon
     Sponsored by  TBA
     6 pm - 9 pm Officer Reception Sponsored by TBA

     The names of these events are a bit deceiving as
     they portray food and fun, however, I assure you,
     they will each offer the opening of many doors for all
     members of BGAMUG, not only the officers attending.

     As BGAMUG has been a member of APCUG for
     almost a year, we have yet to realize and take full
     advantage of the many benefits this powerful
     organization has to offer.

     I am confident that this conference will really set the
     wheels in motion for BGAMUG's successful affiliation
     with APCUG.

     We hope to have complimentary Comdex / Windows
     World '94  Tickets available for many members to
     attend and avoid the $75 charge.  The Executive
     Board will advise to the membership when and how
     many of the tickets are available.  As always, the
     BBS will post news regarding the event as soon as it
     is received.

     If you are considering attending, you should make
     accommodation arrangements as soon as possible.
     Officers attending the APCUG events should
     consider the Marietta area, as most of the events will
     take place at the Holiday Inn on Powers Ferry Road ,
     just off I-285 and I-75

     Eugene Craft has an Atlanta phone book and some
     experience in making accomidation in the area.

     Green Explorer
     Reviewed
     by Charles Phillips

     The following is a Review of the software package
     we received from

     MicroBase Publishing, Inc.
     3923 South McClintock Dr. Suite 402
     Tempe AR 85292
     (606) 897-7800

     Green Explorer is designed to educate the user on
     ecological awareness by showing how the
     environment can be harmed from using innocent
     looking household items. Explorer also tells us what
     can be done at home to help keep our environment
     green. The program installs itself quickly and with
     minimal user effort, even creating its own program
     group.  Each time you start Explorer a different
     environmental tip greets you . This feature can be
     turned off if one desires. There are four main
     sections of Green Explorer, A home tour, an
     historical reference, an "echo-friendly" database, and
     a quiz to test how much you have learned.  Now we
     are ready for a tour of how we affect the environment
     from our own homes.

     Explorer is very graphical just select a picture of the
     home area you want to learn about (from garage to
     bathroom) and double click.  In the kitchen you can
     learn about how your home cleaning products affect
     the environment and how to conserve water.  If you
     tour the living room, you can learn how thermostat
     settings affect the environment. or the best type of
     hardwood furniture to buy to protect our forest.
     Explorer shows how to conserve water, paper, and
     electricity by teaching how they are wasted. Explorer
     also informs about the many chemicals used
     everyday in our garage, lawn. kitchen and bathroom
     and how they affect our environment.  There is also
     an historical overview of garbage and its disposal
     also; recycling efforts prompted by consumer
     awareness from ancient times to the present are
     covered.

     For those who wish to play a more active role in
     preserving the environment Explorer offers a
     selection of projects.  The projects range from water
     and energy audits, correct shopping, composting and
     yes recycling. There is even a trash tracker to help
     you keep up with the amount of waste generated and
     recycled.  An echo database provides the user with
     names and addresses of companies that are "echo-
     friendly", environmental agencies and groups that
     can assist you in your efforts to become green
     aware.

     After you have toured your home and learned the
     history of the green movement there is a multiple
     choice quiz that will show you how much you know or
     in my case don't know.  If you have trouble with the
     quiz then Explorer can review you on the appropriate
     subject matter.

     My gripes are few.  First, I received several
     unexplained "General Protection Fault" messages.
     These did no apparent harm to my system, i.e. I lost
     no data.  Just choose ignore when this occurs and
     continue on the tour.  Icons on the tool bar are
     difficult to read and some just plain hard to
     understand; no problem,  just use the menu bar.
     Documentation is sparse but the whole purpose of
     the program is to have the information on-line and
     this is accomplished.  I had no trouble navigating
     through the program.  Explorer can be used
     passively by showing how we waste our resources; or
     actively by teaching us how to be green shoppers,
     and how to recycle.

     Green Explorer requires Windows 3.1, a mouse, 286
     or higher processor, at least 2Mb of ram and 4.5Mb
     of hard disk. The program was quite snappy on my
     386sx.  I like Green Explorer,  it is a good
     educational tool for adults and children alike.

     The Interchange
     BETA TESTERS

     Ziff Davis Corporation is starting a new on-line
     service to be soon known nationally as, "The
     Interchange."  At the present time, they are giving
     away free beta start-up kits for this new service. You
     must have Windows running on your computer in
     order to use the software.

     The test will be conducted during the summer
     months before being marketed for the public in the
     fall.  The free beta test kits will be mailed directly to
     you from Ziff-Davis sometime this spring.

     After talking with them, it appears there will be no
     charge for the user during the beta test months.  At
     the completion of the test, the user will be given the
     option of continuing the service for a monthly rate
     that hasn't been announced as of yet, or, canceling
     the account.

     Call 1-800-595-8555 to sign up. It is suggested you
     call soon as it is expected this is going to be done on
     a first come, first served basis.

     MICROSOFT   WINDOWS TIP

     Have you ever forgot you started DOS from
     Windows and occasionally had two sessions of
     Windows going at the same time with disastrous
     results. ? If you type WIN instead of EXIT it will
     happen to you sooner or later.

     As a reminder that you need to type EXIT, you may
     enter into your AUTOEXEC.BAT file the line

     SET WINPMT=[In Windows]$p$g

     Then when you start DOS from Windows the prompt
     will show:

     [In Windows] C:\>

     as a reminder.

     WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE
     COMPUTER INDUSTRY?!
     Part I

     The following was obtained from the Internet with no
     restrictions noted regarding its use.  The views and
     opinions referred to in this article are not necessarily
     that of BGAMUG, its officers, or members.

     Part II will appear in the April issue.

     From: the Internet
     sherlock@holmes.bsd
     uchicago.edu
     Newsgroups: comp.society

     INTRO

     There is something seriously wrong with the desktop-
     computer industry, including the realm of its end-
     users.  Most simply put, desktop computers
     (including so-called workstations), and the networks
     that connect them, are both much more complex and
     much more imperfect than they ought to be.  Among
     computer professionals I'm far from being one of the
     well-educated and/or better-informed but I believe
     that it requires only a reasonable level of intelligence
     and attentiveness to notice both that this is so and
     why this is so.  My primary motivation, for wanting to
     say something about this here and now, is that I've
     been getting increasingly annoyed and closer to
     frustration with having to manage problematic
     situations that have arisen specifically because those
     people, who work in the development realm of the
     computer industry, designed their products in such
     ways that easily would allow the problematic
     situations to occur at all.

     The reasons, for this unnecessarily high level of
     imperfection and complexity, are reflections of
     fundamental behavioral characteristics of human
     society.  So I'm not meaning that all the developers
     had an easy choice that they could have made in
     order to avoid these problems.

     But I am saying that developers and end-users, in
     general, have failed to make the best interpretations
     of what was needed and about what they wanted in
     order to achieve the most satisfactory levels of
     computer utility that would have been possible, at
     least at any time during the past 10 to 15 years or so.

     This is not meant to be an authoritative or thorough
     essay or article.  It is meant, rather, as an attempt to
     get other people thinking, and *talking* about what
     they are thinking, and *MAYBE* even doing
     something about what they are thinking.  (That
     "doing" part might be a bit much to ask for.)

     Now for the difficult part: I'll attempt to explain both
     (1) what exactly I believe these failures to have been
     (and continue to be) and (2) how and why these
     failures occurred.  Basically, there is one overall
     answer to both of these questions but it is not a
     simple answer.

     PROBLEMATIC FACTORS
     INHERENT COMPLEXITY

     Consider, first, that computers, and almost
     everything related to their operation, are inherently
     complex.  This fact would yet be inextricably so,
     even with a hypothetical
     _most_elegant_computer_design_in_the_universe_.

     Excruciating complexity is altogether unavoidable,
     given that with computers we start with electronic on
     & off signals --representing 1 and 0-- and manipulate
     this conceptual atom into the various types of
     functional marvels that computers are.

     But what do I mean that they are *too* complex?
     Well, it's very simple. The evidence slaps us in the
     face every day in the form of reliability and
     compatibility issues.     The basic reason, on account
     of which reliability is ever a mention worthy problem,
     is that designers and developers must work with
     excruciating complexity within relatively
     unreasonable time constraints.

     By this I mean that the "unreasonable[ness]", of the
     time constraints, is "relative" to the unavoidably
     inherent complexity of most computer-related
     development issues.  In other words, when one is
     working with something that is extremely complex,
     one needs to have relatively more time to work on it
     than one would need to work on something that is
     comparatively simple, because the greater
     complexity inherently demands more time in order to
     ensure that detailed-but-important mistakes are not
     made.

     The proof, that developers never have enough time
     to review for bugs all the complexities of their
     product, is in all the bugs that make their way into the
     end-users offices and laboratories and workshops
     and homes.  This is not news.  This is common
     knowledge.

     And this is one of the largest reasons for the above-
     mentioned unnecessary imperfection.  But did it ever
     have to be this way?  If so, why?

     THE FORCES BEHIND UNREASONABLE
     TIMECONSTRAINTS.

     These unreasonable time constraints are imposed
     upon developers by two factors.  One of these
     factors is that of _competetive_market_forces_. The
     other is _end-user-impatience_and_fear_.

     These two forces are inextricably linked to one
     another.  (I'm gonna hafta get a little philosophical,
     here, in order to put the entire picture together.
     Please be patient.)

     FIRST KID ON THE BLOCK

     As in all competitive-market industries, the
     competition is driven largely by the efforts of each
     competitor to get his product out into the market
     before that of his rival(s), in the hope that his will
     catch on with the buying public sooner and faster and
     bigger.  While this well-known factor has, no doubt,
     contributed much to the progression of healthy
     development within the entire computer industry, it
     has also caused part of the continuing problems
     related to reliability and compatibility.  If one is to get
     his product out earlier than one's rival then, given the
     universal realities of time, one must either have
     begun development somewhat earlier than did one's
     competitors or else one must spend less time on
     development than do one's competitors.  For one
     competitor or another (and another and another ...)
     this creates a time-bind, within which the necessary
     care cannot be taken in order to ensure that the
     fewest possible bugs remain in the product when it
     goes to market.

     I don't detect any improvements to this aspect of the
     problem, within the foreseeable future.  And as much
     as I dislike admitting so, I'm not even certain that a
     change is even possible in this particular aspect.  (I
     do have more to say about this below.)

     JOHNNY, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO SHARE WITH
     OUR LITTLE FRIENDS

     Also typical is the desire to corner the market; to
     have all of the pie for oneself, or at least as much as
     one can manage.  Consequently, we have
     _competition_AS_OPPOSED_TO_cooperation_,
     rather than a healthy mixture of the two.  I believe
     that it was not until IBM produced the PC that any
     computer-related companies had even tried to
     produce products that were compatible with those of
     a competitor.  (I might not *be* strictly correct on this
     point but I'm sure you *get* the point.)  IBM and DEC
     and WANG and APPLE and BURROUGHS, etc,
     each had their own ways of doing things and each
     was trying to garner as much of the market as he or
     she could, *specifically at the expense of the
     competitors*.  In one way, this made perfect sense.
     But in another way, it was disastrously short-sighted.
     Each different computer-related company seems to
     have been thinking that, if and when two end users --
     who each use a different developers product-- decide
     they need/want to share data with each other, then
     these two will either (1) hire a computer specialist to
     convert the data from one format to another or (2)
     will decide that one must purchase anew the same
     type of computers, et al, as the other.

     I realize that this is an oversimplification but, given
     that, the former supposed solution seems to have
     been prevalent among the mainframe and
     minicomputer camps, while the latter perhaps was
     added by the desktop/micro people.  (I admit, I'm
     guessing about this.)  For whatever reasons, it's been
     only recently when any mentionworthy cooperative
     efforts have taken place between hardware
     competitors and/or software competitors.

     (THE ABOVE) TWO FACTORS
     SPOIL THE BROTH

     Unfortunately, these recent cooperative efforts have
     come terribly late.  They might actually be *too* late
     to solve the problem(s) I'm talking about, here (and I
     haven't finished describing them yet).  I say that it
     might be too late, because all these recently-begun
     cooperative efforts are building upon a foundation of
     existing technology that was put together within the
     context of the earlier short-sighted attitudes and
     practices.  We are carrying many of the flaws of the
     past with us into the future.  We are applying more-
     and-more-elaborate bandages to fundamentally
     flawed (in both reliability and compatibility)
     technology.

     Must we do this?  If so, why?

     Part 2 due April

     DID YOU KNOW
     IT'S IN THE STANDING RULES THAT:

     Any BGAMUG member sponsoring ten (10) new
     members within a twelve month period shall receive
     a $50.00 check from the club's account.
     Sponsorship of a family will only count as two
     members.

     Only two members have cashed in on the
     membership drive offer:
     Eugene Craft and Jerry Gillette.
     Check with our secretary Jessica Ryan if you think
     you may qualify.
     Your name as sponsor MUST appear on the
     members application

     Visual BASIC SIG?
     by Doug Skinner

     To everyone who programs in Visual Basic for
     Windows / Visual Basic Pro for Windows / Visual
     Basic for DOS and Visual Basic Pro for DOS.

     I have casually mentioned to several people that it
     might be fun to start a SIG (Special Interest Group)
     here at BGAMUG for those of us who program in VB
     (or would like to program in VB). It seems that the
     persons I have talked with have shown some interest
     and it looks as if this puppy might get of to a start.
     This SIG will not be to teach those who don't know
     how to program, but allow for those that are learning
     and those that are already fluent with the languages
     to share ideas and such.

     I have thought that we could meet informally
     someplace (possibly at someones home or at the
     library or something) to get things off to a real start.

     Please give me some input as to what you think of
     this idea.

     FORMING SIGS
     LONG OVERDUE FOR BGAMUG
     by Jerry Gillette

     I have on several occasions voiced my opinion that
     BGAMUG should form various Special Interest
     Groups , SIG'S, based on the diversity of it's
     increasing membership.

     In the preceding article by Doug Skinner, the ice is
     again broken for a SIG formation.

     According to the standing rules:    In order to form a
     Special Interest Group (SIG), the SIG must apply for
     SIG status and define their purpose for existence,
     specify their goals and supply the Executive
     Committee with a brief summary of their minutes.
     Outside meetings must be approved by the
     Executive Committee.

     SIGs are a good way for user groups to broaden the
     content of programs, information and service's
     available to better serve and target their members
     needs.  Most groups soon realize the need for SIG's
     and establish them upon demand.  BGAMUG has no
     SIGs because no one has come forward and
     officially formed one.

     It is my opinion that BGAMUG desperately needs a
     SIG for Telecommunications.  There are so many
     members with interest focusing on the BBS, the
     Internet, modems, .......... there should be no
     problem forming one.

     It seems, largely due to the fantastic job Mike Moore
     has done as sysop, BGAMUG puts too much
     emphasis on telecommunications and the BBS,
     whereas,  for many members, it is just one of many
     other areas of computing we should be equally
     addressing.

     Microsoft, TCI plan interactive TV venture
     from Lexington Herald

     Microsoft Corp. and Tele-Communications Inc.
     announced they have agreed to test interactive -
     television services next year in the Seattle and
     Denver areas. The combination brings together two
     of the most powerful forces shaping the future of
     computerized information delivery and
     telecommunications technology, a trend now loosely
     referred to as the information highway. For TCI, the
     nation's largest cable-TV operator, it is the first big
     announcement of a collaboration with another
     company since the collapse earlier this month of a
     merger of TCI and Bell Atlantic Corp.

     MICROSOFT FORCED TO DROP
     COMPRESSION FROM DOS 6.2

     As reported in Info World, Microsoft has removed
     Double Space feature in MS-DOS 6.2 and will ship
     version 6.21 to OEMs.  The move follows a court
     ruling that Microsoft violated rules by using
     compression technology patented by Stac
     Electronics Inc. and slapped them with $120 million
     in damages.

     The current 20 million plus DOS 6.x users may
     continue to use the feature according to the report.

     Microsoft officials said they would try to develop or
     acquire a similar replacement if the ruling is not
     overturned. In the mean time, as of Feb 1, 1994 all
     DOS Versions shipped to manufacturers will be
     stripped of the Double Space technology.

     Most manufacturers have enough version 6.2 on
     hand and will continue to use it until they run out.
     By that time, who knows what will be the case.

     Although Stac won on the patent infringement claim,
     the jury found in favor of Microsoft that Stac illegally
     "reverse-engineered" technology in MS-DOS that
     allowed compression device drivers to be pre-loaded
     into memory, prior to MS-DOS config.sys.
     Shipments of Stacker 3.1 or the new version 4.0 may
     be on hold. The judge was still out on this at press
     time.

     LEXINGTON
     COMPUTER SHOW
     SATURDAY APRIL 9
     RUPP ARENA
     10am to 6 pm (EST)

     The Central Kentucky Computer Society ( CKCS ),
     will host it's annual show in Lexington on Saturday
     April  9th from 10am to 6pm (EST).

     The CKCS event is like a one day COMDEX.  Major
     vendors will be on hand to show off their wares and
     presenting special seminars and demo's in separate
     auditoriums and rooms throughout the day.

     The 1400 CKCS members put on a SUPER show
     which has grown over the years and is now listed as
     an APCUG recognized MAJOR EVENT.

     Companies that will be on hand will include:
     Microsoft, Intuit, IBM, Lexmark, and Adobe just to
     name a few.

     I should have all the details by meeting time. Last
     year it was something like $5 - $6, but I expect
     discount tickets again this year.

     For those of you that attended last year, I'm sure you
     will return if at all possible.  If you have never
     attended a computer show, you owe yourself a treat.
     You will need to get there early in order to see it all.

     BGAMUG MEMBERS WITH
     MARCH BIRTHDAYS

     Bill Jackson March  2

     Brenda Black March  5

     Patsy Bush March  5

     Rita Dye March  9

     John Douglas March 16

     Bill Hurt  March 17

     Brenda Wilson March 19

     Richard Carlson March 20

     MEDIEVAL CUSTOMER
     SUPPORT LINE
     by Michael Moore

     T'be carreed to the strider of beaches.

     Strider, I seeketh yer persistence in a matter
     bedevlin' me to the end of me wits.
     My scsi adapter's gone, strider of seaports.  It be
     infeested with myty wurms, tho none seen minde  you.
     On me magic slayte it reads these wurds, maye they
     be bairnt so holee in mine eyes:

     "SCSI Host Adapter Failure"

     My friend Fahferd bleeves that SCSI be a way to
     nayme the Spirit of yore who cannot be naymed, the
     eyeless one who goes bleating and snuffling about in
     a most unholee fashin.  It maykes no sence to me
     Sean-of-the-surf.  I noe not of these things.

     Your frind and patron,
     Lorny of Doom.

     ----------------------
     T'be carreed to the Lorny house and deliver'd thence
     to the wizerd in the third tower from whence the odd
     light eminayts in the wee hours.
     ----------------------

     Lorny:  On the first order of things, ye needs to at
     leest ruffle threw the foolscap ream I verilee sent ye.
     'Tis 1 of the frist things we do, lad is lurn howe to
     reed.  Init, yule find noe referense to any wurmy
     things and not an item about bleating and snuffin'
     devils w'noe names!   Blimey, mon!  Git you a lyfe!

     In a dale under Thames there lives a newt that calls
     'imsef Tandy. Goe there at frist light and pray to him
     yer SCSI eeror the litany you rote in yer blitherin'
     piece last moon.  He'll lykely spout some bilge about
     yer DOS verjun an' more foolish slop about a man
     named Norton.  Jus' be noddin' yer head and if you
     tithe 'im plenty he'll come forth with a gleeming new
     widget to slyde in yer magic box.  This'll rid ye of the
     spook in there ryte quick.

     Nowe reed what I sent ye, lumpy, or I'll come an'
     wype yer majik slayte clean!

     Sean'o'the beach

     building a system

     need a VGA monitor,
     101-keyboard,
     pwr supply & chassis,
     also a HD & 3 1/2" floppy drive.

     If anyone has any of these items that you want to sell
     please contact......     PHIL BOURASSA 646-4496
     OR at work 781-1013      ext:234.

------------------------------

     Ball Players

     The season for playing ball is upon us. If anyone has
     found their gloves in need of repair help is available.
     When not playing on computers I do leathercraft as a
     hobby which includes repairing gloves. I can relace
     part or complete and can also restitch some torn or
     chewed-up areas.

     This is my 13th year at doing this type of work and
     feel my prices are fair. If anyone is interested in
     fixing up their old gloves or other type of leather work
     please feel free to call Eugene Craft at 777-1045
     after 5:00 PM or leave E-mail on BGAMUG BBS

---------------------------------------

     FOR SALE OR TRADE

     8088 XT W/V20 CHIP,
     3.5, 5.25, drives
     32MEG HD
     MOUSE
     EGA MONITOR
     9-PIN DOT MATRIX PRINTER
     ALSO LOTUS 123 v2.0
     PCTOOLS 4.5 DELUXE
     NORTON 5.0
     PCTOOLS 7.0
     NEW PRINT SHOP
     PLUS OTHERS

     INTERESTED ?
     CALL MILTON UHDEN 782-7786


Membership into BGAMUG

First off, let me tell you what BGAMUG is and what it hopes to become.

We are a non-profit Users Group located in Bowling Green, Ky. We have a membership approching 250, and that number is growing by aproximatly 25 new members each month. We offer the computer users of South Central Kentucky a collective membership to discuss issues relating to the computing of today. We hold monthly meetings that have been averaging 70 attendees for the last 6 months. That number is growing as well. And at a rate that's hard to believe sometimes. Our meetings are held monlthy on the forth Tuesday at the Bowling Green High School Library. We are currently seeking another location as the library has started growing small for our meetings. Plans are being worked on to move our meeting to Western Kentucky University. Our meetings consist of presentations (upcoming is a presentation from the President of Word Perfect), computer news, and other things of interest to our members.

We have a Bulletin Board System (BBS) that is online with 4 nodes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On it we offer some of the same stuff as other BBSs such as message bases and files online to download; but we also offer our members Internet E-Mail and Usenet Newsgroups. We have a CD-ROM online that gives us access to virtually unlimited files. If you can't find a file on our BBS, we can get it; usually within 24 hours. We have accounts with both GEnie and America Online, as well as members with Delphi, Compuserve, and student members with full Internet access. We also have access on some of the largest BBSs in America, so if you need it, rest assured we can it. Our BBS also offer the RIP protocal which allows members who are unfamliar to BBSing a means of getting around using their mouse to just "point & click". Give us a call sometime; you won't be disappointed. The number is (502) 781-4875, and all nodes are handled by ZOOM V.Fast modems with rotating so you only need to know one number.

We publish a newsletter each month that comes in three flavors; online (the BBS), printed, and now in its second month, this version. We are always looking for people to do reviews for us, editorials, short stories, etc, etc. We are also always looking for software and hardware donations to do reviews on and give away at our monthly meetings as doorprizes. Contact Jerry Gillette or any other officer if you have something to donate. Our coffers are running low at the moment (2 copies of Word Perfect 6.0 for Windows, 1 copy of Lotus SmartSuite, 1 copy of XTree Gold), so if you have something to give, we're definatly looking for it.

We have also started work on a project dreamed up by our President, David Oliver, called "Project Computer Aid". We hope to help the poorer children in our area with computers, how to use them etc. So if you have an old computer laying around (especially all you large computer manufacturers with tons of 386's collecting dust now <grin>), send them to us. Contact David Oliver through Internet E-Mail, or myself. The format for writing us is "firstname.lastname@BGAMUG.COM". Make sure to include a "." (period) between the first and last names. If you are unfamiliar with Internet E-Mail, or do not have access, you can write us at screename "BGAMUG" on America 0nline, "73243,735" on Compuserve, or "CALC-MLM" on GEnie.

Enclosed are applications for membership into the Bowling Green Area MS-DOS Users Group, Inc. To print them out, simply click on the "Print" button located at the top of the screen in the MenuBar.

 Full Member Application

 BBS Only Application


Monthly Meeting Minutes

April 26, 1994

Meeting was called to order by President David Oliver at 6:50 pm.
The minutes from the previous meeting were read and accepted.
The treasurer's report listed a balance of $2,170.63.
The sysop's report listed 373 users, 8300 messages and 3407 files, with 1000 of these on the CD Rom.
The 8300 messages shows an increase of 2300 over last month's figures.
Mike Moore gave a report on some new utilities which are available online for all members.  The programs were as follows:
1)  Data View -- which allows you to review contents of a zipped or archived program before downloading it.
2)  Wild Chat -- which allows you to create rooms within chat for online discussions.  It also filters profanity, assigns  aliases and allows paging of other online users.

J. J. Sloan of Western Kentucky University called and reported a "No" answer to our request for a VAX account, but suggested that Bowling Green needs a local access system.  It was suggested that BGAMUG support this effort within the community.  Mike Moore also announced that Telix, OLX Mail Reader, RIP and some new games were available on diskette for new members, if they requested it from him.  The hard drive is defective and needs to be checked and hopefully repaired.  This would bring the total HD space to approximately 800 megs.

Old Business:
There have been 18 entries for the logo contest.  The winners were as follows:  Charles Phillips, first and second place, and Treva Craft, third place.  Charles received dinner for two at Mariah's Restaurant for his efforts.
The E-Board is still looking for locations for future meetings.
Everything has been once again resubmitted to the IRS and they have guaranteed to have status processed in 100 days.

New Business:
A Visual Basic SIG has been formed and will be lead by Doug Skinner.  The formative meeting is set for May 10, at 7 pm, at Garfield's Restaurant.
WP 6.0 for Windows class begins on May 5th, 6-8:30 pm and will meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  It is being taught by David Oliver at Warren Central High School.
Sean Stallings and Eugene Craft gave a report on CompuLex. Representatives from IBM,  Mustang Software (the programmers of Wildcat), WordPerfect and Lexmark were there.  Comdex will be held May 23-26.  All members have the opportunity to pick up passes which will allow for free admission to this huge event.  It is held annually in Atlanta, GA and will bring both vendors and guests from all over the country.
Our annual picnic is set for June 18th at Lampkin Park Shelter #1 (located by the softball field).  It will run from 12 noon to 10 pm.  Tickets will be available to help cover the cost for the club and to give us a definite idea of how many people will be in attendance.  Tickets are $1 per person or $2 per family.  They will be on sale at the May meeting.
Mike Walton asked for comments from the membership on the most recent newsletter format.
The door prize, The Physicians Desk Reference, was won by Greg Hackbarth.
After adjournment at 7:45 pm, a presentation on RIP graphics was given by Mike Moore and Sean Stallings.

Respectfully Submitted,


Past Newsletters


Picnic

Plans are being made for BGAMUG's Annual Picnic. The place is Lampkin Park on Morgantown Rd. at shelter #1. It will be on June 18th from 12:00 P.M. till dark. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks will be furnished by the club. It is requested that anyone who attends bring a dish (salads, desserts, etc) for a potluck meal. There will be games like washer toss, volleyball, and udder toss. Bingo will also be played with prizes going to the winners. It will be fun for all ages so come on out and join in.Tickets will be sold for $1 per person or $2 per family. They may be purchased at the May meeting or from Jessica Ryan. This is necessary  to determine how many people to expect. If anyone would like to help with the picnic please contact myself or any officer.


Presidents Column

Have you ever been away from a friend or relative for a long time and when they come to visit they see your children and they say "will you look at these children, they've really have grown."  When you look at them your eyes though, you can't really see the difference in their height.  The obvious reason is that you're to close.  You see them every day and the changes you see are gradual, but to an outsider, the change is dramatic.  Something happen to me the other day that made me think along those same lines.  As you may or may not know, on Saturday (5/7), Sean Stallings and John Aldrige set up a table at the flea market.  (The flea market is a bi-weekly event at the old Bowling Green Mall.)  The intent was to advertise BGAMUG, sell some software and maybe sign up a few new members along the way.  Well they did all of that, but what really impressed me was the enthusiasm I saw from the people that came up to the booth.  It was like they had just found an old treasure map and BGAMUG was the X that marked the spot.  Some were looking for classes, some were interested in the board but most were just plain interested in BGAMUG.  This leads me to my point.  I'm a charter officer of BGAMUG and most of the changes that have occurred within BGAMUG, I've been part of.  I've seen the good times and I've seen the bad, but what I haven't seen, or maybe realized, is the growth. I still think of BGAMUG as a small group of friends that get together to talk computers.  People, were not small any more.  Our membership is over 200.  Our meeting attendance is averaging 50+ people per month.  People in the community know our club by name. And most of all we are big enough to make a difference.  Next week a group of the officers are going to a series of presentations and roundtable discussions where we will be meeting some very influential people in the personal computer and software industry.  We're doing this through our association with APCUG.  This, I believe, will be the first step towards making our club more of a national club interfacing with other user groups nationwide.  By becoming "national" we can bring in speakers, software and demonstrations from corporations that a year ago might not have even returned our call.  By becoming "national" we can offer even more to our members than we do today.  Wouldn't it be great if our next MS-DOS class was taught by Microsoft or if WordPerfect 7.0 was being presented by WordPerfect people themselves.  Okay, maybe I'm getting carried away, but what I do know is that we are growing fast.  We definitely have something to offer and people are taking advantage of it.  I didn't realize how the child had grown until I saw it through the enthusiasm of others.  Robert Earnest; you should come back sometime and see how your child has grown.


Review Mail Order Success

I recently received something I've been wanting for several years now, a color printer.  The printer I bought is a Hewlett Packard Desk jet 550C and for the bargain price of $429.  The reason that I'm writing this is to let you know how successful mail order transactions can be.  I bought the HP from USA Flex about a month ago.

After less than two weeks my new printer developed an electrical short.  It would just quit working.  I new that I had a three year warranty from HP but I decided to call USA Flex instead.  I spoke with "Sandy" at USA Flex Technical Support.  After agreeing with my diagnosis Sandy decided that since this was a brand new printer it should be replaced.  Sandy gave me an RA ( return authorization # ) and also arranged to pick up the faulty HP at my place of business. This was on a Friday, so on Monday I packed up the printer and took it to work with me and Federal Express picked it up.  To my delight when I arrived home there was a big package from USA Flex.  I had already received my replacement printer, the same day I shipped the defective one.  I never had to leave my home or office to get a great deal and great support after the sale. USA Flex has toll free support and you don't get busy signals.  I called Sandy three different times and was never on hold more than three or four minutes.  All of the people that I spoke with were very friendly and knew there jobs.

I am recommending USA Flex to all of my friends.  More importantly I am recommending mail order as the way to buy computers or just about anything else you may want.  Mail order can save you money and even a novice can get great assistance. You need to research mail order companies and products just as you would check out a new store in town.  To date I have purchased my computer, two printers, and numerous peripherals from eight different mail order firms.  I have yet to have any complaint serious enough to keep me from buying from any one of these companies again.  BGAMUG has many members who are already sold on mail order.  To all of the new users out there, don't be afraid to ask us questions, that's what we're here for..

A couple of recommendations, when you do buy, pay with a credit card.  This way if there is a problem the credit card company will help mediate on your behalf.  Also write down the names of any employee that you talk to.  Good Luck!


Review PC Tools

As those of you who use our BBS know, I am not the least bit shy about telling things as I see them when reviewing software.  I assume it was for this reason that I was contacted to review PC Tools for Windows Version 2 for our users group.  I will say up front that I was somewhat prejudiced against this product from the start as I had tried Version 1 of this software and had not liked it.  With this in mind, I will let you know how I liked this "new & improved version.  With the understanding that I am a person who usually needs to RTFM (Read the fine manual), I decided to see how I could do with this package without reading the manual.  I am also going to be giving general impressions versus an in depth review due to the space limitations of our newsletter.

INSTALLATION:  I installed PC Tools on my system (a 40 Mhz 386 DX) using the defaults the installation program provided.  I did choose to allow PC Tools to do a full install so I could see the entire package.  PC Tools installed without any problems, although I was asked a couple of questions that a beginning user (or even some intermediate users) might not know about how I wanted it installed.  PC Tools did surprise me when it took my Windows environment over and replaced my desktop without warning.

USING PC TOOLS:  I like the way the new PC Tools looks.  I also think it's easy to use.  This is supported by the fact that my wife likes it.  We both like that it allows for multiple desktops as she doesn't have to poke around in my desktop.  Mine is always changing and it has always been a source of irritation to her that almost every time she goes to use the computer things look different.  We now each have a desktop.  The system still boots up in my desktop (I use the computer more than her, so I get the default desktop), but all she has to do is select hers and the desktop she likes, with only the applications she uses on it, is there and ready to use.  We both also like the fact that we can set things up the way each of us think.  If one of us feel that a certain folder should be inside another folder (PC Tools uses folders instead of groups), then it just takes a click and a drag and it's done (remember, each desktop can be completely different).

I also like the little windows that tells me how much memory is available, how much system resources are available, and the date, day and time.  This windows stays on the desktop (it doesn't cover my applications while they are running and is really handy as I use a lot of large applications and need to keep a eye on both my memory and my systems resources.  The screen capture utility is also really nice (had to read the help file to figure out how to use it though).  The System Consultant for PC Tools surprised me. I am a Windows Power User, and take pride in the idea that I can optimize a Windows system by hand to be a lean, clean, running machine.  To my surprise, when I ran the system consultant, it suggested some changes on my own system that made sense.  I implemented them and my Windows system runs even better (and I am a whole lot more humble).

THINGS I DON'T LIKE:  First and foremost, I don't like the fact that PC Tools for Windows is a memory hog.  It uses a LOT of memory itself. In fact, I would suggest that you have at least 8 meg of memory on your computer before using PC Tools.  It will run on a 4 meg system (it runs on mine), but it will spend a lot of time sending things out to the hard drive as it kicks the system into using that hard drive as memory for the computer.

PC Tools for Windows also seems to be a poor performer when it comes to releasing system resources after applications are closed.  Even worse than Windows itself (which isn't too great at doing this itself).  The end result?  You will have to shut your system down to DOS and restart Windows more often as system resources finally fall below 30% (the suggested minimum).

I don't like the File Manager that comes with PC Tools (a real surprise as PC Tools got it's big name for writing outstanding file management programs).  On my system, when I move or even copy files the changes do not show on my screen until I hit the F5 key to refresh the drive.

I am a little leery of the virus detection in PC Tools.  I think that because it runs in the background and because you have to call Central Point's BBS to get updates (and also pay to be able to do this), most people won't.  This means that a lot of people will think they are protected from viruses when they are only protected from older viruses.  This can make for some major problems.  I'll stick to McAfee's Scan and Clean.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:  I think I will continue using PC Tools for Windows Version 2 (Central Point software will finally get some more of my cash).  I think the nice points outweigh the weak points of this software, and my wife really like the new desktops PC Tools has given us.  I will keep on using the Windows for Workgroups File Manager and McAfee's Scan and Clean though, and will finally sit down and start reading the manual to PC Tools.


Review UnInstaller

Uninstaller 2 from MicroHelp may be the best investment you make for you computer this year.  This program will systematically search out and delete programs and files from Windows does it much more efficiently that you can possibly do manually.

When you run an installation program in Windows, that program copies numerous files to your system as well as makes automatic changes to your .ini configuration files.  Trying to delete these later if you no longer want or use the program is sorta like tuning the carbuerator on a race car. In other words, you might not want to try this at home.

There are several things to consider when deleting a program in Windows. Many beginner Windows users assume that deleting the icon removes the program, and many more experienced users thing by deleting the directory, all the files have been removed.  This, unfortunately, is not always the case.

Uninstaller 2.0 systematically searches your hard disk for unused or "orphan" files and allows you to delete them.  It will search out unused drivers, applications, etc., and even make a print out or file of those items you have deleted. One of the strongest features of the program is that it will work immediately searching your hard disk and helping you delete all unnecessary files you have prior to the installation of Uninstaller. Then, in the future, whenever you delete a Windows program,  Uninstaller will help you completely rid you system of all files associated with that program.

Because many programs adjust your win.ini and sys.ini files, Uninstaller will search these as well and delete any unecessary commands.  The end result is a cleaner, more efficient Windows program.  Simply put, Uninstaller wipes out any unwanted application, new or existing, easilty and completely.  List price is $79.95 however local stores are selling UnInstaller 2.0 for about $49.95.

System requirements include Windows 3.1, 3MB free disk space, 2MB RAM, 4MB recommended and 3.5 disk drive.  From MicroHelp.


Reviews


Short Stories

Their departure out of Detroit was to have been at precisely 11:45am on Saturday.  The way things have of happening, though, Gretchen had swimming lessons that couldn't (or shouldn't) be cancelled.

The father (we'll call him Roger), arrived home a little after 10am, to find an enraged spouse awaiting his countenance with glowing embers beneath sheathed eyes.  "You're late."  The words came framed in a flat portent of awful things to come.

"OhI'msorryhoneyIcouldhaveSWORDyousaidyoudidn'thavetoleaveutil-"

"We're supposed to BE there right now,"  she said wiltingly, gathering Gretchen and her swimmies.

She left in the Land Yacht, a once-proud Parisienne that was always the family choice for vacations.  Oblivious to her husband's inability to pack a missing car,  Nancy left, dislodging several metric tons of ice in her dramatic driveway exodus.

Father and his two sons regrouped, the former having tended to the verbal barbs lodged in strategic points about his torso.  True to form though, the men gradually wandered off to play with their toys. Eschewing several duties, Roger signed on to his favorite telecom service, America Online.  While online, you see, time is compressed at something like one minute on the second, and by and by the Nancy unit arrived home and it seem like not but a few moments had passed.  And verily, it was time to boogie.

Because the boys had not been offered food, which they will examine and smell, but rarely ingest, and because Roger was "playing" when there was _work_ to be done, Nancy had a fit.

"Why didn't you feed the boys?" she fumed.

"SsssorrydearIwasgoingtobutIhadthismeetingandIDIDtellyouaboutitrememberlastnight?"  Roger was helpless and babbling, superimposing his grovelling jibberish on this thought:  Most people DO eat around noon and it is now not quite that time my beloved retentive neurotic fixated bride.

Her hissing response:  "You didn't tell me it would last over an HOUR!  Rog, I am so upset with that THING I feel like throwing it out the window sometimes!  Don't you see you are OBSESSED with that Commodore?  YOU DIDN'T EVEN PACK THE TRUNK!"

(There was a slight pause as Roger dug in.)  A thousand possible comebacks scrolled in front of the man, all dripping with witty, sarcastic treacle.  As always before, the one he chose borethe biting impact of salt-less milk toast.

"Honey, I admitted to my obsession months ago, not all obsessions are BAD, I could not pack the trunk because it was attached to the car you had driven away, and what does my Commodore have to do with Medina, Ohio anyway?

The thing settled into a white-lipped stare-off which lasted through lunch and the successful loading and launching of the Land Yacht.  According to ship's time,  the Burke's set out around noon, the parental units still in terse mode. Monosyllables were ruling, and the children became like wound springs.

The charged atmosphere would have remained so, perhaps throughout the 3 hour drive, were it not for Ohio's penchant for naming their turnpike rest stops after great maritime officers. Around Sandusky, Ohio, their craft sailed passed a large signpost reading, "Commodore Perry, Next Exit."

Nancy and Roger saw the sign, looked stupidly at each other [thinking: Did that sign actually just now name the greatest/ worst obsession ever embraced/abhorred by me?]  And then they laughed at the irony, and talked once again like husband and wife, but a nagging tattered remnant of the tension remained.

The sunshine was clean and bright, and when Medina arrived without circumstance, Roger deemed the drive no more effortful than a Sunday jaunt.  They found Medina, a sleepy town south of Cleveland, and they found Marybeth and Doug Ritter, and their children.

Arrival was greeted with instant pandemonium with the admixture of offspring.  The Ritter boys were older, and more involved with self-mutilation and wanton property damage.  Roger scoped the property for live dangling wires and laundry chutes big enough for three abreast.  Finding a safe and toyful environment, he pronounced the place safe, and pandemonium recommenced.

After the obligatory Tour of the Keep, Doug broached the Medical Conversation.  He knows Roger's a druggist (his word), and he always thought it was neat how he could get (free) medical advise.  Saturday's topic was on sinuses and their damnable blockage, and could this be a result of Diet Seven-Up ingestion the evening before?

"More likely the cold weather," said Roger, in his best take-your-glasses-off-and-bite-on-the-temple voice.

"But, Rog, REALLY.   What ARE sinuses anyway?  I mean, what, are they vestigial or do they function like ... I dunno...mucous reservoirs?  I Always Wanted To Ask You This."

Looking about for the camera, feeling trapped in a commercial, Roger deadpans, "well, Doug.  I think the answer might surprise you.  Actually, sinuses were naturally selected for because of the attractive tonal quality they give our voices!  Isn't that amazing?"

Blank look.  "Oh, come on, Rog.  You can't be serious, are you?," said Doug.  A cautious one, this Ritter.

"Of course, Doug.  Just think about it, man!  Can you imagine while afflicted with a head cold, going up to some young pretty thing in a bar and saying, 'Hi, hey, thags buch for dyust beig here, thexxy.  Ah....ah...AH..aaAAAAAACHOOOO!,'  Roger says, still not breaking a smile.  "Or better yet, put yourself in their shoes.  Imagine yourself a female of childbearing age.  Now, which would you rather marry, Don Johnson, or Elmer Fudd?"

Doug was smiling and thinking.  "You know, Rog, you're right! (stifling laughter)  How about this:  'Hey, babe, wanna get together and YODEL?"  or "Hey, Joe!  Willya LOOK at the sinuses on that babe?"

This prattle went on throughout the night, and came to be known as the theory of Sinusoidal Sexuality.

But this tale is about the evening Roger and Nancy and Marybeth and Doug spent at the local bistro, the Bix.

The four arrived uptown around 9:30, and found the place occupied only by a quiet group in the corner.  Roger, still a little miffed at the pre-voyage duress, ordered up a Jack Daniels on ice.  The man playing guitar was pretty good, but Roger seemed more interested in a massive Roland electric piano splayed in front of the singer.

Things didnt' really get rolling until 10:30 or so, when the man began to play Motown, and Roger had downed his fourth JD. Soon after, the four just lost themselves to the moment and the alcohol, and once again, pandemonium broke loose.  The entire audience -- ten people all told, began to sing that old rock and roll..all the great Big Chill-type music, with toes tapping and bodies swaying.  David, the guitar man, had captured his audience. It was when two overlarge mamas hit the stage dancing when Nancy broke out the Whale Jokes.  Marybeth tore up the little easel touting the Bix's own brew, and wrote on it "Save the Whales," then took up a mock collection for the dancing whales. Soon it was becoming downright painful to smile (the muscles off the face being already streched to their limit.  The four could simply NOT stop laughing.

Roger calmly requested a look at Marybeth's lipstick, and began a visual study of the not-so-subliminal marketing technique that has for many years been used to sell lipstick.

David was still tossing down Motown hits.  Roger and Marybeth danced to the sweet strains of "My girl,"  and this event managed to get even Doug up out of his seat to dance!  According to Marybeth, this was one of the very few times Doug had ever gotten ripped enough to dance.

During a break, when the group collapsed at their table, Marybeth made an unfortunate observation.  "You know, Roger, YOU should go up there and show that guy how to play that Roland, she said, "Dang it, he hasn't even played more than two tunes on it."

Through the haze of uncounted Jack Daniels', Roger gazed at Marybeth with deadly intent.  "You don't want to say that too loud, MaryBeth.

If deadly, intent gazes could kill, Marybeth would have left in a body bag, but she know Roger didn't MEAN it, he was just being modest.  "AWWWWW come ON, Rog!  You could play us a tune or two.  Pleeeeeease?"

"Marybeth: No."  He stated thickly. In the end (really just the middle), they got Roger up there, and David showed him the piano, no doubt puzzled as to why this night was different than the rest. "It's touch sensitive, man," said David.  "Like a real Piano."

Eyes bright, and feigning crisp sobriety, Roger said into the microphone, "he says this thing is touch sensitive.." [panic-laughter]  "I just LOVE a touch sensitive instrument!" Instead of the lewd cat-calls normally received from this line, the barflies went wild.  Roger began an exceptionally burlesk interpretation of a boogie woogie hit song, driving the crowd into fits of mock rapture.  The whole riff, including the double time ending, was done in just few minutes, and that scene came to be know the Night Roger Played the Bix.

In subsequent hours, the event took on a classic quality that one always tries to achieve at parties, but can never be planned: MAYHEM.  Marybeth and Nancy, screaming at audience, "Come on up here, WE'LL NEVER SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN!", were suddenly transformed into Diana Ross and the Supremes, singing STOP! In the Naaaaaaaame of Love, to the delight of the drunken masses.

The last thing Roger recalled of the night was Doug holding up a box of Sudafed as if on a commercial, tapping it, with a bright, knowing look in his eyes.

 Copyright ©, 1994


Sysops


Sysops Corner
There were several problems this month as the BBSs dual hard drive was worked on.  Milton Uhden was kind enough to loan the club his 116mb Conner, but a problem during installation caused the BBS to be down for a night, and the files to be offline for a few days.  (Important safety tip: never go inside the case with the power on, no matter how minor the adjustment!).

The club's computer now sports a donated slave drive (a Western Digital Caviar 2340), so we have plenty of room for expansion the rest of the year.  We are in need of donated 2120 formatted backup tapes as a result of the increased drive space (we are working on filling drive G: and have an available drive H:).

Zoom supposedly shipped our modems, so hopefully by the time you read this, we'll own three brand spanking new Zoom VFX 28.8 v.fast external modems.  Maybe they'll even WORK, and I say maybe because for the last 5 days I've been having some problems with - of all things - line quality on Node 1.  Usenet downloads are down to about 500 characters per second (compressed) because of the modem falling back to 4800bps because of the lousy line quality.  Obviously, this is costing us at least twice as much in phone bills as it would have if the line was clean, so it's a top priority to have it fixed.

Having three modems all the same will really simplify things for everyone, since you won't have to be concerned with getting connected to a particular node.

A CatScan problem that caused Node 3 to lock up after any upload has been fixed.  The programmer, Mike Oritz, had a minor upgrade on his BBS that did the trick.  Node 3 is using the non-standard IRQ 10 line to access COM4, and the original version of CatScan Pro did not like this a bit, but it should be fixed now.

The BBS received some press coverage on the front page of the Daily News this month with an article by Stan Reagan on the BBS scene in BG.  Stan did a very tasteful piece, which fortunately lacked the usual "hacker" spin that the media often seems compelled to report. I have copies of the article if anyone would care to see it.  As the Internet takes hold and more people begin to see possibilites there, I imagine the club will see even more in the way of positive promotion in the community.

Sean Stallings and John Aldrich put on a fabulous showing of BGAMUG at the Old Mall flea market several weeks ago.  They were accepting donations for the club, signing up new members, and had somewhat of swap meet going on at the same time, with a total of three computers there to show off the club's shareware and BBS.  A number of members were signed up as a result of this event, and the team should be congratulated on an outstanding representation of the club and BBS.

The executive board has voted to register the WildChat utility, which will allow members on the BBS to chat "AOL-style" in named rooms, and with a sophisticated command language, including a "profanity filter" that I think is just the coolest thing around for a family board like BGAMUG.  Now if I can only find one for Usenet <grin>.  If you've tried the demo version of WildChat and noticed a lot of the commands didn't work, it's because we haven't registered (bought) it yet.  My only concern with the package is wondering if the programmer would support WildCat! version 4.0, which is a new version of our BBS software that is being written new from the ground up.  The answer is a resounding YES, the programmer has been in contact with Mustang Software and will be coming out with a release of WildChat for WC4.0.

I am exploring the possibility of adding the equivalent of an online newspaper to the BBS.  The product is called Genesis Daily News, and it consists of over 100 articles a day on domestic and world news items, sports, financials, even movie reviews.  In order to see how much support there is for an online daily newspaper, I have placed a short poll on the BBS, and will proceed in the direction the BBS users and club members want to go with this service.  Your position given in the poll is not a vote for or against the service; that must be brought before the entire group.

As for future tidings, I am going to try to re-create the "Guided Tour to BGAMUG BBS" disk in a visual format that can be read by all users, and also incorporate material from the club's FAQ (frequently asked questions) document.  This project has been delayed because I have either lost or misplaced the original source text for the Tour.

I have in the works a mini-seminar on the TomCat mail reader and a seminar on the BBS itself.  The former is for individuals already comfortable with signing on, etc, and the latter will be for members who are beginners.

Signing off for now,

Michael Moore
System Operator


Treasurers Report

3/19/94 Through 4/18/94

INCOME

BBS Membership          20.00
Regular Membership     225.00
Family Membership      140.00
Interest on C.A.         5.50
Contributions:         108.75
                     --------
TOTAL INCOME           499.25

EXPENSES:

Add ons for computer   323.80
Phone,janitor,PO Box    94.67
Picnic,etc               7.50
Postage                 11.60
Members stock          135.40
                     --------
TOTAL EXPENSES         572.97
                    =========
CURRENT BALANCE     $2,170.63